Comparison of Characteristics and Clinical Outcomes of Children with Confirmed Tuberculosis and Unconfirmed Rapid Molecular Test Examination

Background: Making a confirmation of TB diagnosis by bacteriological examination is difficult in children. Currently, the GeneXpert examination is better than AFB examination. However, obtaining a representative specimen is quite difficult in children cause some TB cases are established clinically. Objective: To analyze the comparison of characteristics and clinical outcomes of children with confirmed tuberculosis by GeneXpert examination with clinical TB. Method: A case-control study to evaluate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of TB patients aged 0-18 years who underwent GeneXpert examination at Dr. M Djamil Padang from July 2017 to June 2022. Results: A total of 153 subjects consisted of 24% confirmed TB through GeneXpert examination and 76% were clinical TB. It was found clinical presentations more frequent in confirmed TB than clinical TB in complaints; fever and cough more than 2 weeks, malaise, contact history, did not have BCG immunization, lymph nodes enlargement, radiological features, and prolonged ESR, except for findings rales. Most subjects have recovered of chest X-ray in both groups. Conclusion: Clinical presentations is more common in confirmed TB than clinical TB except for rales.