title: Clinical profile and treatment outcome of tubercular pleurisy in pediatric age group using DOTS strategy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A significant proportion of global tuberculosis (TB) caseload is contributed by children. Management of pediatric TB especially EPTB is challenging. The present study was designed to study demographic, clinical profile and treatment outcome of DOTS strategy for pediatric tubercular pleurisy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To study the efficacy of DOTS strategy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analysis of 106 TB pleurisy children treated with DOTS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age was 10.8 years (median age 12.2 years) with more females (51.9%) than males (48.1%) chi1(2) = 0.15; P = 0.698 (NS). In the age group of 0-5, 6-10 and 11-14 years, there were 15.1%, 30.2% and 54.7% patients respectively. Fever was the commonest symptom (98.1%) followed by cough (77.4%) and chest pain (55.7%). History of contact could be elicited only in 2/3rd of cases unilateral effusion (61.3%) was commonest, followed by empyema (22.6%), massive effusion and broncho-pleural fistula each in 13.2% cases respectively. Bilateral effusion was seen in 3.8% cases only. Conventional methods (mantoux, radiograph, ultrasound, pleural aspiration) and minimal invasive surgical techniques, percutaneous pleural biopsy were done to arrive at the diagnosis. Diagnosis was made by X-ray Chest in 92.5%, exudative pleural fluid (100%) predominantly lymphocytic in 85.8%, positive AFB smear and culture in 4.7 and 5.7% cases respectively. Category I, II and III was started on 35.9%, 2.8% and 61.3% patients respectively. Overall treatment completion rate was 94.3%, 4.7% default rate, 0.9% failure rate and no deaths.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study confirms early detection by simple tests and ensuring complete treatment using DOTS strategy.
authors.affiliation: LRS Institute of Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi - 110 030.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sarin
authors.forename: U K
authors.initials: UK
authors.lastname: Khalid
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.forename: P P
authors.initials: PP
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Behera
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001983:Bronchial Fistula / Q000382:microbiology; D002637:Chest Pain / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003371:Cough / Q000209:etiology; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004653:Empyema / Q000382:microbiology; D005260:Female; D005334:Fever / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D035422:Pleural Cavity / Q000382:microbiology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000382:microbiology; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents