Gastrointestinal Tuberculosis in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital

Abstract

          Gastrointestinal Tuberculosis is one of the most common extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Signs, symptoms, laboratory results have been varied and not specific. It is difficult, in order to obtain the diagnosis. Objectives: To study the clinical features and laboratory tests of gastrointestinal tuberculosis. Patients & Methods: This retrospective study was enrolled in gastrointestinal tuberculous patients of Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital as coding as coding ICD-10 A 18.3 and A 18.83 during January 1, 2005 to May 31, 2011. Results: Thirty-seven patients (8.8%) were met criteria in this study from 423 patients who were diagnosed the gastrointestinal tuberculosis in the study period. The common symptoms were abdominal pain, fever and weight loss as 72.9%, 32.4%, and 24.3%, consecutively. The abdominal pain was varying in characters and the most common were generalized non specific dull aching pain. The most common abnormal laboratory were anemia (64%), high white blood cells than 10,000/mm³ (37.8%) and serum albumin<3.5g/gL (32%). The common sites of the gastrointestinal tuberculosis from radiologic investigations and histo-pathologic findings were found peritoneum (29.7%), colon (27.0%) and ileum (13.5%). The pulmonary tuberculosis was concurrently found 5.4 percent. Conclusion: The gastrointestinal tuberculosis in Maharat Nakhon Ratchasima Hospital was uncommon, only found 37 patients. The most of them were no underlying disease and 5.4% in AIDS. The most common symptoms were abdominal pain, fever and weight loss. The most common signs were abdominal tenderness, ascites and palpable abdominal mass. The common site of involvement was peritoneum, colon, ileum and 5.4% concurrently with pulmonary tuberculosis. The abnormal laboratory tests were anemia, hypoalbuminemia and leukocytosis.