title: Specificity and sensitivity of clinical diagnosis for chronic pneumonia.
abstract: To compare clinical (non-invasive) diagnosis with bronchoscopic (invasive) diagnosis, a total of 50 patients with chronic pneumonia (sputum smear-negative for tuberculosis) were examined. Age range was 12-82 years. Sensitivity of clinical diagnosis was 100% for tuberculosis and 81.8% for lung cancer; specificity was 67.5% for tuberculosis and 89.7% for lung cancer. Clinical diagnosis was correct in 43.4% of cases suspected of tuberculosis and 69.2% of cases suspected of lung cancer. It may be reliable only for elderly women smokers. Because tuberculosis is over-diagnosed in endemic areas, bronchoscopy is strongly recommended for all cases of chronic pneumonia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Islamic Republic of Iran. avijgan@yahoo.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avijgan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques / Q000592:standards; D001999:Bronchoscopy / Q000592:standards*; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D015510:Clinical Medicine / Q000592:standards*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran / Q000453:epidemiology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis