TABLE 1.

DEMOGRAPHIC, MICROBIOLOGICAL, AND NUCLEIC ACID AMPLIFICATION TECHNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF 347 SUBJECTS SUSPECTED TO BE AFFECTED BY ACTIVE TUBERCULOSIS WITH NEGATIVE ACID-FAST BACILLI SMEARS

Variables	Tuberculosis (n = 71)	Nontuberculosis (n = 276)	P Value
Males, %	45 (63.4)	179 (64.9)	0.87
Age, years (mean ± SD)	42.4 ± 2	56.6 ± 0.95	<0.001
Positive BAL microscopy result for AFB, n (%)	3/64 (4.7)	0/240 (0)	—
Positive BAL NAAT result for M. tuberculosis, n (%)	16/56 (28.6)	6/192 (3.1)	<0.001
Tuberculin skin testing, mm (mean ± SD)	16.3 ± 9.8 (n = 43)	5.5 ± 8.4 (n = 115)	<0.001
Culture confirmation from sputum, BAL or biopsy, n (%)	40/71 (56.3)	0/276 (0)	—

Definition of abbreviations: AFB = acid-fast bacilli; BAL = bronchoalveolar lavage; NAAT = nucleic acid amplification technique.