Antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis in a public hospital - study of 100 children

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate recommendations for antituberculosis chemoprophylaxis in children according to the guidelines of the National Tuberculosis Control Program, and in special situations, as very young children, BCG vaccinated children with positive tuberculin skin test and recent or current exposure to infected cases. METHODS: A retrospective cross-section study has been made of 100 children who underwent chemoprophylaxis at a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro. Variables analyzed were sex, age, BCG vaccination, nutritional status, tuberculin skin test, recent tuberculosis converters, infection source for tuberculosis, adherence to prevention, monotherapy failure and isoniazid side effects. RESULTS: The case history was made up of 57 males and 43 females, 62% were younger than five years of age, there was reference to previous BCG vaccination in 92%, malnutrition in 28% and recent tuberculosis converters in 9% of the cases. Parents represented 60% of infection source known, there was adherence to prevention in 73%, monotherapy failure in 1% and isoniazid side effects in 1% of the cases. CONCLUSIONS: It has been concluded that 15% followed the Health Department guidelines thoroughly, which included the 9 cases of recent tuberculosis converters; 85% of the recommended chemoprophylaxis were due to the coverage of high-risk groups to develop the disease.