Application of guidelines for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis

Abstract

Objective. To identify the knowledge and application of technical guidelines in the use of diagnostic support methods for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis, by the medical and nursing staff of family health community units of the department of Morazán, El Salvador, from 2016 to 2017.
Methodology. This a descriptive transversal study, consisting in an in an interview applied to 57 physicians and 20 nurses. In addition, information was collected from 24 clinical records pertaining to patients diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Results: Most of the health staff interviewed were aware of all the methods of support for the diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis. Thirty two percent were unaware of the existence of effective diagnostic tests such as the Xpert Gene and culture. One hundred percent made use of the smear, 7% of cultures and 10% of Gene Xpert. Forty percent did not know the criteria for their indication. Seventy six percent did not know the delivery times of the test results. Sixty four percent of the patients who were diagnosed with smear, 16% with Gene Xpert and 12% with culture.
Conclusions. Half of the medical and nursing staff interviewed are unaware of the criteria for indicating methods of greater specificity and sensitivity than the smear. Staff do not implement technical guidelines and support methods for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis. Physicians use not all diagnostic support methods available for the detection of pulmonary tuberculosis; they limit to the smear, as the only method to diagnose pulmonary tuberculosis.

Alerta Year 2018, Vol. 1 No. 2: 16-24

Key words: pulmonary tuberculosis, smear, Gene Xpert, culture.