[Tuberculin skin test of patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis and non-tuberculous pulmonary diseases].

The maximum diameter of redness of tuberculin skin test (PPD) was studied in patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) (257 cases) and with various non-tuberculous pulmonary disorders (Non-TB) (328 cases). Negative rate of PPD (maximum diameter under 9 mm) was 9.3% in patients of TB; 6.5% in patients without underlying disorders and 16.3% with underlying disorders, which may affect the break-down of tuberculosis. In patients with miliary tuberculosis, the negative rate was high and PPD reaction became weaker in advanced patients and patients with pleurisy. High age, hypoalbminemia and lymphocytepenia in peripheral blood were the factors influencing the negative conversion of PPD skin test. In Non-TB patients, positive rate of PPD was similar between patients with and without past history of tuberculosis and the rate of patients with maximum redness over 35mm were about 10%, regardless of sex, age and disorders. But there was a difference in the positive rates of PPD between male and female; the positive rate of PPD skin test was highest in male with lung cancer, and there was a difference in the positive rate of PPD between the age groups in male, but there was no difference in females regardless of age with or without lung cancer.