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Tuberculin Skin Testing in a Chronically Sick Aged Population
Author(s) -
NOVICK ANDREW,
NOVICK ISAAC,
POTOKER STEVEN,
ROSENBERG GILBERT
Publication year - 1972
Publication title -
journal of the american geriatrics society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.992
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 1532-5415
pISSN - 0002-8614
DOI - 10.1111/j.1532-5415.1972.tb00836.x
Subject(s) - medicine , tuberculin , sick leave , context (archaeology) , skin test , population , tuberculosis , physical therapy , environmental health , pathology , paleontology , biology
Two hundred and thirty‐seven chronically sick aged patients were skin tested with Tuberculin PPD, Intermediate Test Strength. Healthy younger staff members constituted a control group. The percentage of negative reactors among the patients appeared to be directly related to the severity of their chronic illness, as represented by the various ward categories. The percentage of negative reactors among the patients who subsequently showed a positive reaction to Tuberculin PPD, Second Test Strength, was directly related to the state of health of the patients. In sick old persons, a negative reaction to Tuberculin PPD, Intermediate Test Strength, should be followed by testing with Second Test Strength before it can be confirmed that the person is a negative reactor. The significance of a negative reaction to even very large doses of Tuberculin PPD should be viewed in the context of the overall clinical picture when dealing with a chronically sick aged patient.