To test the applicability of modified kenneth jones scoring chart in early detection of tuberculosis in children

Objective: to test the applicability of modified kenneth jones scoring chart (mkjs) in early detection of tuberculosis in children. material and methods: this was a cross sectional study conducted at paediatric department unit i bolan medical complex,quetta from dec 2006- sep 2007. 100 suspected patients of tb from 6 months to 10 years of age were included in the study. all these patients had either fever for > 2 weeks,cough for > 2 weeks,fits/somi >4 weeks plus csf suggestive of tuberculous meningitis,gibbus or joint swelling not responding to 4 weeks of treatment with antibiotics. the patients of probable or possible tuberculosis on mkjsc were subjected to diagnostic bcg,afb and culture for mycobacterium. the sensitivity and specificity of mkjsc was calculated. results: a mkjsc kenneth jones scoring was fulfilled in 65 patients and false positive in only one patient. only 12 patients in this study were false negative. the sensitivity was 84.2% (95% ci 73.6- 91.2),specificity was 95.8% (95% ci 76.8-.99.7). the positive predictive value was 98.4% (95% ci 90.5-99.9). the negative predictive value was 65.7% (95% ci 47.7-80.3). conclusion: mkjsc provides an important tool in the diagnosis of tuberculosis.