[Prognostic importance of skin tests in high-risk patients hospitalized in an intensive care unit].

Abstract

This report involves the study of skin test carried out using five antigens (tuberculin, candidin, -haemolytic streptococcus, staphylococcus albus, pertussis bacillus) in 33 patients hospitalised in a polyvalent intensive care unit with two criteria of inclusion:--associated excretion of 20 g of nitrogen or more per hour;--severe infectious complications (either pneumonia or septicaemia). Three patient populations were found: true anergism (all skin tests negative), relative anergism (one test only positive) and reactive (at least two tests positive). Results were analysed at two levels. With regard to the value of the tests: the use of candidin or of haemolytic streptococcus alone would have sufficed to classify the patients within the same groups with two exceptions. Secondly, from a prognostic standpoint, the study confirmed data in the literature. There was a significant between the anergic and reactive groups in terms of survival. This applied both to tests performed at the time of admission of the patients as well as those repeated one week later.