OBJECTIVE To analyze the diagnosis of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in hospitalized patients of a tertiary general hospital and investigate the current status of related comorbidities.

METHODS The clinical data were collected from the 14 448 hospitalized patients who received tuberculin skin test (TST) or interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) in China-Japan Friendship Hospital from Jan. 1, 2022 to Dec. 31, 2023, and the results were assessed.

RESULTS The detection rate of LTBI was 23.62%(3413/14448) among the hospitalized patients who received the tests, and the rate of definite diagnosis was only 4.22%(144/3413). 88.40%(3017/3413) of the hospitalized patients with LTBI had at least one type of comorbidity, and the top 5 comorbidities were in turn as follows: high blood pressure, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, malignant tumors and rheumatic immune diseases; the number of comorbidities was increased with the age(χ²=291.199, P<0.001). The rheumatic immune disease (73/144, 50.69%) was the most common type of comorbidity among the hospitalized patients with definite diagnosis of LTBI, and less than half of the patients (66/144, 45.83%) were treated in rheumatology and immunology department.

CONCLUSION The two-way screening of LTBI and comorbidities is the core premise for the standardized management of LTBI.