Sizes of induration and nutritional status in children with positive Mantoux test

Abstract

Background: The immune status of children is always affected by nutrition. Sometime severe malnutrition is associated with false negative Mantoux test. There is a need to study to observe the effect of nutritional status on the size of indurations in Mantoux positive children. Study Design: Observational analytical cross-sectional study. Methods: The study population consisted of 310 patients, belonging to both sexes and age of 1-14 years, attending the outpatient department of UP Rural Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, Saifai, Etawah. Only Mantoux positive cases were included in the study. Their sizes of indurations of skin reaction were
measured and recorded in mm. The nutritional status was calculated as the weight for age and height for age standard (Z-score), using the NCHS charts of for males and females. Results: Out of 800 children screened for tuberculosis, 310 children had positive Mantoux test and were recruited in the study. Mean induration (20 mm) was similar in all the groups. However, the size of indurations ranged from 10-40 mm, 11-33 mm, and 12-24 among normal weight, underweight, and overweight Z-score groups. Mean induration was same (20 mm) in two Z-score height for age groups (normal height, stunting), while it was 20.6 mm in the over-height group. Although, the range of Mantoux positivity ranges from 10-35 mm, 11-40 mm, and 18-22 mm among normal height, stunting, and over height Z-score groups. Conclusion: Although, nutritional status can affect the positivity of Mantoux test; in Mantoux positive children, the size of indurations does not depend on their nutritional status.