Symptoms and baseline observations of patients who attended ED prior to diagnosis of TB
| Risk factors | Frequency (% of study population) | Pulmonary TB symptoms | Frequency (% of study population) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current smoker | 27 (18%) | Cough | 62 (40%) |
| Recent travel | 19 (12%) | Fever | 53 (34%) |
| Known TB contacts | 13 (8%) | Weight loss | 53 (34%) |
| Airways disease | 12 (8%) | Night sweats | 33 (21%) |
| Diabetes (type 1 or 2) | 12 (8%) | Chest pain | 31 (20%) |
| HIV positivity | 6 (4%) | Sputum production | 28 (18%) |
| Hepatitis B or C positivity | 3 (2%) | Dyspnoea | 28 (18%) |
| Alcohol misuse | 13 (8%) | Haemoptysis | 11 (7%) |
| Immunosuppressive treatment | 3 (2%) | Other symptoms | |
| Observations | Gastrointestinal | 30 (19%) | |
| Tachycardia (<100/min) | 53 (34%) | CNS/headache | 16 (10%) |
| Fever (>38°C) | 30 (19%) | Back/joint pain | 13 (8%) |
| Tachypnoea (>20/min) | 20 (13%) | Neck lump | 8 (5%) |
| Pulse oximetry <95% | 8 (5%) | Generalised weakness and malaise | 8 (5%) |
| Hypotension (workup SBP<90 mm Hg) | 3 (2%) | Other | 9 (6%) |
CNS, central nervous system; ED, emergency department; SBP, systolic blood pressure; TB, tuberculosis.