Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Digital clubbing is a sign of chest disease known since the time of Hippocrates. Its association with tuberculosis (TB) has not been well studied, particularly in Africa where TB is common. The prevalence of clubbing in patients with...

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Main Authors: Smieja Marek, Johnson John L, Ddungu Henry, Mayanja-Kizza Harriet
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2006-03-01
Series:BMC Infectious Diseases
Online Access:http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/6/45
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author Smieja Marek
Johnson John L
Ddungu Henry
Mayanja-Kizza Harriet
author_facet Smieja Marek
Johnson John L
Ddungu Henry
Mayanja-Kizza Harriet
author_sort Smieja Marek
collection DOAJ
description <p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Digital clubbing is a sign of chest disease known since the time of Hippocrates. Its association with tuberculosis (TB) has not been well studied, particularly in Africa where TB is common. The prevalence of clubbing in patients with pulmonary TB and its association with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), severity of disease, and nutritional status was assessed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was carried out among patients with smear-positive TB recruited consecutively from the medical and TB wards and outpatient clinics at a public hospital in Uganda. The presence of clubbing was assessed by clinical signs and measurement of the ratio of the distal and inter-phalangeal diameters (DPD/IPD) of both index fingers. Clubbing was defined as a ratio > 1.0. Chest radiograph, serum albumin and HIV testing were done.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred patients (82% HIV-infected) participated; 34% had clubbing by clinical criteria whilst 30% had clubbing based on DPD/IPD ratio. Smear grade, extensive or cavitary disease, early versus late HIV disease, and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with clubbing. Clubbing was more common among patients with a lower Karnofsky performance scale score or with prior TB.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Clubbing occurs in up to one-third of Ugandan patients with pulmonary TB. Clubbing was not associated with stage of HIV infection, extensive disease or hypoalbuminemia.</p>
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spelling doaj.art-a68e037ffd554e3e98f4897c5575f0602022-12-22T00:11:02ZengBMCBMC Infectious Diseases1471-23342006-03-01614510.1186/1471-2334-6-45Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemiaSmieja MarekJohnson John LDdungu HenryMayanja-Kizza Harriet<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Digital clubbing is a sign of chest disease known since the time of Hippocrates. Its association with tuberculosis (TB) has not been well studied, particularly in Africa where TB is common. The prevalence of clubbing in patients with pulmonary TB and its association with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV), severity of disease, and nutritional status was assessed.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A cross-sectional study was carried out among patients with smear-positive TB recruited consecutively from the medical and TB wards and outpatient clinics at a public hospital in Uganda. The presence of clubbing was assessed by clinical signs and measurement of the ratio of the distal and inter-phalangeal diameters (DPD/IPD) of both index fingers. Clubbing was defined as a ratio > 1.0. Chest radiograph, serum albumin and HIV testing were done.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Two hundred patients (82% HIV-infected) participated; 34% had clubbing by clinical criteria whilst 30% had clubbing based on DPD/IPD ratio. Smear grade, extensive or cavitary disease, early versus late HIV disease, and hypoalbuminemia were not associated with clubbing. Clubbing was more common among patients with a lower Karnofsky performance scale score or with prior TB.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Clubbing occurs in up to one-third of Ugandan patients with pulmonary TB. Clubbing was not associated with stage of HIV infection, extensive disease or hypoalbuminemia.</p>http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/6/45
spellingShingle Smieja Marek
Johnson John L
Ddungu Henry
Mayanja-Kizza Harriet
Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
BMC Infectious Diseases
title Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
title_full Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
title_fullStr Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
title_full_unstemmed Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
title_short Digital clubbing in tuberculosis – relationship to HIV infection, extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
title_sort digital clubbing in tuberculosis relationship to hiv infection extent of disease and hypoalbuminemia
url http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2334/6/45
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