Study of respiratory symptoms among sputum positive

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tJJircussion
In this study (tab. 22), mean duration ofnon respiratory symptoms
revealed significant difference between smear +ve and smear -ve cases for
fever. The shortest mean duration was fever (1.38 month) in smear +ve
cases. Regarding mean duration (tab. 21, 22) it was noted that haemoptysis,
chest pain and fever had shortest duration and that documented as these
symptoms were agonizing so when patient contract any of it, he urgently
seeks medical advise.
Analysis of duration of symptoms monthly (tab. 23,24), only (28%)
were diagnosed within one month. And 70% of haemoptysis were
diagnosed in Ist month followed by 69.8% of chest pain, and no any
haemoptitic case delayed after 6 month, all the other symptoms mostly
represented at 1-3 month except chest wheezes that delayed to one year,
and that results was accepted as it confirm the mean duration of symptoms
and also in this study as regard general symptoms no any patients
represented more than 6 month. And as regard fever and night sweats it not
beyond 3 months in agreement with this study, Teklu (1993), elucidated
chest pain and haemoptysis were the symptoms most agonizing patients to
seek medical advice.
In this study. (tab. 25) it was significantly higher presentation of
typical CXR lesions in smear +ve than in smear -ve cases for AFB, and
also far advanced lesions was significantly higher in smear +ve (48.1 %)
than smear -ve (5.7%) cases and in contrast mild lesions was higher in
smear -ve than in smear +ve cases in agreement with this results Barnes et
aI. (1988) found high significance of typical CXR presentation in smear
+ve than in smear- ve cases and also. Cohen et al. (1996) reported that
typical CXR in smear +ve (79%) was significantly higher than smear -ve
for TB (40%), similar results were recorded by Gamal EL Din (1997) and
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