title: The relationship between the tuberculin test and the Kveim test in sarcoidosis in Ireland.
abstract: The aim of this study was to correlate tuberculin reactivity with the Kveim test in sarcoidosis. Case records 1983-91 inclusive, of those patients with positive Kveim tests and recorded tuberculin tests in an acute regional general hospital serving south-west Ireland (counties Cork and Kerry) were reviewed. Of 39 patients with positive Kveim tests 28 (72%) were tuberculin negative to a test dose of 10 tuberculin units or more. The group was slightly though significantly younger (p < 0.05) in age than the corresponding group (n = 11; 28%) with positive tuberculin tests. The incidence of tuberculin reactivity in the presence of Kveim reaction is higher than that expected for sarcoidosis. Corresponding studies in Britain and Scandinavia show a considerably lower tuberculin positive rate, which may be due to a lower prevalence of tuberculosis in these countries. However the younger age of the tuberculin negative group in our study may reflect a continuing decline in tuberculosis prevalence in south-west Ireland.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, Cork Regional Hospital, Ireland.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Cotter
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Bredin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007494:Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D007731:Kveim Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D017565:Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014374:Tuberculin Test / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*