Investigation of sixty extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases

Abstract

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine cases diagnosed with extrapulmonary tuber-culosis (EPTB) in the Infectious Diseases and Clinical Microbiology Department of our hospital. Materi-al and Methods: EPTB cases followed up between January 2004-March 2009 were analyzed retrospectively. Medical histories, symptoms, physical, and laboratory findings, treatment and outcome of the cases were analyzed in detail and recorded. Diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis was made with bacteriologic and/or histopathologic and/or radiologic findings along with clinical findings, and responce to treatment. Results: Sixty patients were included in the study. Of the cases, 35 (58%) were females and mean age was 49.5 ± 17.8 years (range 18-76). Bone-joint tuberculosis and tuberculous meningitis constituted approxi-mately two- thirds of the cases. Other EPTB cases involved lymph node, pleura, peritoneum, urinary sys-tem and breast tuberculosis respectively in terms of frequency. Twenty-three percent of the cases multi-organ involvement. An underlying disease was present in 21 (35%) cases. General and clinical fea-tures of the cases were determined and indicated. On radiologic examination, sequel lesion was present in 25 (42%) cases and miliary involvement was present in 7 (12%) cases on chest X-ray. Acido-resistant bacilli were seen in 16 (26.7%) cases in direct microscopic examination of various samples with Ehrlicl- Ziehl-Neelsen method. Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex was recovered in 25 (42%) cases. Histopat-hologic evaluation of 16 out of 27 cases (59%) revealed as granulomatous inflammation. Mortality rate was 8.3% and sequela rate was 3.3%. Conclusion: Tuberculosis is still an important health problem in deve-loping countries such as Turkey. The review of EPTB cases revealed that mortality and sequela rates we-re low due to early diagnosis and treatment. © 2012 by Türkiye Klinikleri.