Bouros D, Zeros G, Panaretos C, Vassilatos C, Siafakas N
University of Crete, Medical School, Department of Thoracic Medicine, Greece.
Chest. 1991 Feb;99(2):416-9. doi: 10.1378/chest.99.2.416.
In order to test the degree of concordance between ballpoint pen and palpation methods of measuring the skin induration after a Mantoux tuberculin test, we conducted a prospective, double-blind study. We performed a Mantoux skin test in 1,340 healthy subjects, aged 18 to 25 years, using the tuberculin PPD-RT 23, dose 2 IU, (1/5,000), of the Pasteur Institute, equivalent to 5 TU PPD-S. The same experienced reader, who was able to see only the site of the test (forearm), measured the induration after 48 hours by the palpation method, initially, and by the pen method later the same day, without knowing the identity of the examined person. Results of the study did not show any significant difference in any range of the measurements (p greater than 0.1) by the two methods. We conclude that the pen method is as reliable as the traditional palpation method. The sensitivity and the specificity of the two methods are comparable. Even though our study was not designed to investigate the effects with an inexperienced examiner, given the simplicity of the pen method, it could be the method of choice, especially for less experienced examiners.
为了测试在结核菌素试验后用圆珠笔测量皮肤硬结与触诊法之间的一致性程度，我们进行了一项前瞻性双盲研究。我们对1340名年龄在18至25岁的健康受试者进行了结核菌素试验，使用巴斯德研究所的结核菌素PPD-RT 23，剂量为2国际单位（1/5000），相当于5结核菌素单位PPD-S。同一位经验丰富的观察者，只能看到测试部位（前臂），最初在48小时后通过触诊法测量硬结，同一天晚些时候再通过笔测法测量，且不知道被检查者的身份。研究结果显示，两种方法在任何测量范围内均无显著差异（p大于0.1）。我们得出结论，笔测法与传统触诊法一样可靠。两种方法的敏感性和特异性相当。尽管我们的研究并非旨在调查经验不足的检查者使用该方法的效果，但鉴于笔测法操作简单，它可能是首选方法，尤其对于经验较少的检查者而言。
