What question did this study set out to answer?

This research aims to understand the clinical features of tuberculosis in children and compare them with adult cases.

April 10, 2026Open Access

Study on the clinical profile of paediatric tuberculosis and comparison with adult tuberculosis: Experience from a tertiary care centre in South India

Key Points

This research aims to understand the clinical features of tuberculosis in children and compare them with adult cases.
Conducted a retrospective analysis of RNTCP registers and case files from June 2010 to December 2013.
Analyzed 440 cases including 68 pediatric and 372 adult tuberculosis cases.
Examined demographic data, symptoms, diagnostic tests, and treatment options.
Among pediatric cases, 58.8% were boys and 92.7% were new cases of tuberculosis.
Most common symptom was cough and fever in 83.3% of children.
76.5% of pediatric cases had pulmonary disease, with a positive Mantoux test seen in 82.6%.
In adults, 65.9% were male, with a higher likelihood of sputum positivity (p=0.00).
Common extrapulmonary TB site was lymph nodes in children and pleural effusion in adults.

Abstract

Objectives: To find out the clinical profile of children diagnosed with tuberculosis and to compare the same with adult patients with tuberculosis in the same period.Methods: Retrospecitve analysis of the RNTCP registers and the necessary case files from June 2010 to Dec 2013 was done to collect data.Results: total of 440 cases were there, with 68 paediatric cases.Among the latter, 58.8%was boys.92.7% were 'new' and 7.4% 'treated' previously.Overall contact history was there for 39.2%.BCG vaccination coverage was high; prevalence of PEM was 68.8%.76.5% had pulmonary disease and 23.5% had extrapulmonary disease.Main symptom was cough and fever in pulmonary tuberculosis (83.3%).12(23%) of pulmonary tuberculosis had sputum positivity; consolidation was the commonest chest X ray finding (55.8%).Overall 82.6% had positive Mantoux, and high correlation was seen with positive Mantoux and pulmonary tuberculosis than extrapulmonary (p=0.04).Commonest extrapulmonary site in children was lymph node.Supportive tests like adenosine deaminase were utilized to diagnose tuberculous pleural effusion and meningitis.Among adult tuberculosis cases (n=372), male predominance (65.9%) was higher than children (58.8%).More likelihood of sputum positivity seen (p=0.00,significant).Commonest extrapulmonary TB in adults was pleural effusion.Paediatric: adult ratio was 18.2%.Most cases opted for treatment from RNTCP only, but 13.4% went for non DOTS therapy.Conclusions: Contact tracing is very important in paediatric tuberculosis.Mantoux is more likely to be positive in pulmonary than extrapulmonary tuberculosis in children.Commonest extrapulmonary site was lymph node in children and pleura in adults.Adults are more likely to be sputum positive than children.There is still significant number of patients opting for non DOTS therapy.

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