Differences in clinical and epidemiological features between tuberculosis cases notified in primary and tertiary health care

Abstract

Objective: To compare, on the basis of clinical, radiological and epidemiological aspects, all cases of tuberculosis (TB) diagnosed in the tertiary healthcare services to those diagnosed at the primary healthcare providers in the municipality of Vitória-ES. Methods: Cross- sectional, retrospective study, with analysis of the SINAN’s database, to identify all cases among residents of the municipality of Vitória-ES and diagnosed with TB in 2006 and 2007. Patients were divided into two groups: cases diagnosed in Primary Health Care (PHC) and those diagnosed in Tertiary Health Care (THC). For statistical analysis, it was used the software STATA CORP 9.0. Results: 338 patients were identified; 207 (61.24%) of these were diagnosed in PHC and 131 (38.76%) in THC. The pulmonary form was predominant in both groups. However, the extrapulmonary form presented higher frequency in the THC group. When analyzing the results of sputum smear, the positivity was found in 114 (55.07%) patients of the PHC and in 57 (43.51%) of THC. Regarding the positive cultures, 119 (57.48%) patients diagnosed in PHC and only 38 (29%) in THC tested positive. Conclusion: There is evidence of high proportion of patients with TB communicated as “new cases” in THC in the city and it was observed a predominance of the pulmonary form in both groups - PHC and THC, although the extrapulmonary form was more frequent in the latter. doi:10.5020/18061230.2013.p251

Keywords

• Tuberculose
• Atenção Primária à Saúde
• Atenção Terciária à Saúde