Chest X-Ray Comparison Between Drug-Resistant and Drug-Sensitive Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Children

Introduction Chest X-ray (CXR) remains one of the tools used in diagnosing tuberculosis (TB). However, few studies about such tools exist, specifically in children in Indonesia. We aim to investigate and compare the CXR findings of children with pulmonary drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) and drug-sensitive TB (DS-TB) that could help in the evaluation and management of TB cases in children. Methods Retrospective analysis with cross-sectional approach was conducted in children ( Results Sixty-nine children (DR-TB 31 children vs. DS-TB 38 children) were assessed. Of the 31 children with DR-TB, 65% were classified as multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), followed by rifampicin-resistant TB (RR-TB), pre-extensively drug-resistant TB (pre-XDR-TB), and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB). The most common CXR findings in DR-TB are consolidation (68%), fibrosis (42%), and cavity (29%), whereas in DS-TB, it is pleura effusion (37%). Severe TB accounts for 50% of DR-TB (p = 0.008). Conclusions Consolidation, fibrosis, cavities, and findings of severe TB are most common in DR-TB. Pleural effusion is the most common in DS-TB. These findings have the potential to be considered in further examination of children with pulmonary DR-TB and DS-TB; hence, more extensive studies are needed to confirm these results.