Oportunidades perdidas en la detección de la tuberculosis: análisis de las visitas a Urgencias antes del diagnóstico / Missed opportunities for detecting tuberculosis: An analysis of emergency department visits before the diagnosis

Objetivo: Evaluar en pacientes diagnosticados de tuberculosis pulmonar la frecuencia de asistencias en Urgencias en los 6meses previos al diagnóstico, conocer los motivos de la asistencia, el grado de sospecha en Urgencias y los factores a los que se asociaba esta sospecha. Método: Estudio retrospectivo de los casos de tuberculosis pulmonar atendidos en un servicio de Urgencias generales entre 2011 y 2017. Resultados: De los 54 pacientes incluidos, 38 (70%) habían sido atendidos en el servicio de Urgencias en los 6meses previos al diagnóstico: 6 (16%) por procesos sin relación con la tuberculosis y 32 (84%) con relación potencial. En 12 (38%) de estos pacientes se sospechó en Urgencias la posibilidad del diagnóstico de tuberculosis pulmonar, y no se sospechó en los restantes 20 pacientes (62%). El grupo en el que se sospechó tenía más frecuencia de síntomas generales y respiratorios y más frecuencia de cavitación en la radiografía. Conclusiones: Un elevado porcentaje de pacientes con tuberculosis pulmonar han consultado en Urgencias en los 6meses previos al diagnóstico, y con mucha frecuencia esta posibilidad diagnóstica no se sospecha

Objective: To assess the frequency of care in an emergency department in the 6months prior to the diagnosis of tuberculosis and to determine the reasons for the care, the degree of suspicion in the emergency department and the factors associated with this suspicion. Method: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated in the general emergency department between 2011 and 2017. Results: Of the 54 included patients, 38 (70%) had been treated in the emergency department in the 6months prior to the diagnosis: 6 (16%) patients had been treated for processes unrelated to the tuberculosis, and 32 (84%) were treated for processes that were potentially related to the tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis was suspected in the emergency department for 12 (38%) of these patients and not suspected in the remaining 20 patients (62%). The group in which pulmonary tuberculosis was suspected had a higher rate of general and respiratory symptoms and cavitation in the radiography. Conclusions: A high percentage of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were admitted to the emergency department in the 6months prior to the diagnosis, and this diagnostic possibility was often not suspected

Missed opportunities for detecting tuberculosis: An analysis of emergency department visits before the diagnosis. / Oportunidades perdidas en la detección de la tuberculosis: análisis de las visitas a Urgencias antes del diagnóstico.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the frequency of care in an emergency department in the 6months prior to the diagnosis of tuberculosis and to determine the reasons for the care, the degree of suspicion in the emergency department and the factors associated with this suspicion. METHOD: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with pulmonary tuberculosis treated in the general emergency department between 2011 and 2017. RESULTS: Of the 54 included patients, 38 (70%) had been treated in the emergency department in the 6months prior to the diagnosis: 6 (16%) patients had been treated for processes unrelated to the tuberculosis, and 32 (84%) were treated for processes that were potentially related to the tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis was suspected in the emergency department for 12 (38%) of these patients and not suspected in the remaining 20 patients (62%). The group in which pulmonary tuberculosis was suspected had a higher rate of general and respiratory symptoms and cavitation in the radiography. CONCLUSIONS: A high percentage of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis were admitted to the emergency department in the 6months prior to the diagnosis, and this diagnostic possibility was often not suspected.