Table 2. Clinical profiles and laboratory findings of 1,138 participants with pulmonary tuberculosis before and during the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Variables | Before COVID-19 (n = 545) | During COVID-19 (n = 593) | Total (n = 1,138) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial symptoms | 217 (39.8) | 222 (37.4) | 439 (38.6) | 0.410 | |
| Cough ± sputum | 176 (32.3) | 230 (38.8) | 406 (35.7) | 0.022 | |
| Fever | 104 (19.1) | 135 (22.8) | 239 (21.0) | 0.128 | |
| Alarming symptomsa | 217 (39.8) | 222 (37.4) | 439 (38.6) | 0.410 | |
| Chest X-ray | |||||
| Bilateral disease | 203 (37.2) | 194 (32.7) | 397 (34.9) | 0.109 | |
| Cavitary disease | 80 (14.7) | 82 (13.8) | 162 (14.2) | 0.682 | |
| NAAT result | 0.389 | ||||
| Not performed | 12 (2.2) | 19 (3.2) | 31 (2.7) | ||
| Negative result | 183 (33.6) | 212 (35.8) | 395 (34.7) | ||
| Positive result | 350 (64.2) | 362 (61.0) | 712 (62.6) | ||
| AFB smear test result | 0.278 | ||||
| Not performed | 25 (4.6) | 39 (6.6) | 64 (5.6) | ||
| Negative result | 289 (53.0) | 319 (53.8) | 608 (53.4) | ||
| Positive result | 231 (42.4) | 235 (28.2) | 466 (40.9) | ||
| Sputum smear test result ≥ 3+ | 59 (10.8) | 51 (8.6) | 110 (9.7) | 0.204 | |
Values are expressed as numbers and percentage.
COVID-19 = coronavirus disease 2019, NAAT = nucleic acid amplification test, AFB = acid-fast bacilli.
aAlarming symptoms were defined as sum of chest discomfort, hemoptysis, or dyspnea.