Table 3.

Individual variables documented at presentation in relevant risk groups to diagnose microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB in children (n = 84)

Individual variables at presentation	Low-risk Non-HIV-infected* aged ⩾3 years		High-risk
			Non-HIV-infected aged <3 years		HIV-infected aged <3 years
	Sensitivity %	Specificity %	Sensitivity %	Specificity %	Sensitivity %	Specificity %
Weight loss†	75	54	70	43	67	41
Cough > 14 days‡	88	25	100	25	81	16
Fever >14 days§	41	63	55	66	64	59
Night sweats >14 days¶	59	60	40	62	65	56
Fatigue >14 days#	25	72	18	75	50	65
Poor appetite >14 days	41	66	36	68	48	65
Chest pain >14 days**	27	75	33	89	58	76
Haemoptysis††	0	94	0	99	5	97
Household contact‡‡	56	45	55	59	43	71
Combined symptoms
⩾2 symptoms	94	23	100	24	86	19
⩾3 symptoms	71	42	82	40	86	36
Death of a family member on anti-tuberculosis treatment	31	81	27	85	18	82

^*All patients diagnosed with TB were offered HIV testing as part of Botswana’s National HIV and TB guidelines—subjects with unknown HIV status were not included in this analysis.

^†Unexplained weight loss indicates ⩾5% reduction in weight compared with the highest weight recorded in last 3 months, reported by the parent/care giver.

^‡Persistent or non-remitting cough for >2 weeks.

^§Persistent (>2 weeks) and unexplained fever (>38°C) as reported by the parent/care giver.

^¶Sweating in excess of other children the same age as reported by the care giver.

^#Perceived decrease in playfulness or activity as reported by the parent/care giver.

^**As reported by the child or care giver.

^††Presence of blood in the sputum (not haematemesis or a nose bleed).

^‡‡Exposure to an adult TB index case in the household in the preceding 24 months.

HIV = human immunodeficiency virus; TB = tuberculosis.