Journal of Medical Diagnostic Methods
Open Access

Abstract

Results of Investigations for Tuberculosis in Patients with Serpiginous Like Choroiditis in Comparison to Patients with Central Serous Retinopathy and Non-Serpiginous Uveitis

Pradeep Venkatesh, Sirisha Vinzamuri, Rohan Chawla, Rajpal and Sat Pal Garg

Background: To compare results of tuberculosis investigations in cases of serpiginous like choroiditis (SC), central serous retinopathy (CSR) and non serpiginous uveitis.

Methods: 40 patients each of SC (Group 1), CSR (Group 2) and other non serpiginous uveitis (Group 3) were studied. Mantoux test and chest radiography results were compared. P values for the results were calculated by using a Pearson Chi-square test and Fisher exact test. P value ≤0.05 was considered significant.

Results: 56/120 patients (53.3%) were Mantoux positive. 23/40 were Mantoux positive in Group 1, 17/40 positive in Group 2 and 16/40 positive in Group 3. Difference between the groups was not statistically significant (p=0.237). On chest radiography four in Group 1, three in Group 2 and five in Group 3 had past evidence of extraocular tuberculosis (p=0.757).

Conclusions: Mantoux positivity was similar in SC, central serous retinopathy and non serpiginous uveitis patients. In a country like India where tuberculosis is endemic, Mantoux positivity alone cannot be considered as a major criterion for making a diagnosis of presumed ocular tuberculosis.