CLINICOPATHOLOGIC PROFILE OF PATIENTS PRESENTING WITH ABDOMINAL TUBERCULOSIS IN A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: To evaluate pattern of presentation of patients with abdominal tuberculosis (TB) in a tertiary care hospital.Material and Methods: This was a hospital based non-inierventional descriptive case series study. It included patients of both sexes, more than 12 years of age, with clinically suspected abdominal tuberculosis. The study was carried out in medical wards of Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar from January to December 2003. Patients were selected by non-probability convenient sampling method after obtaining an informed consent.Results: Out of 100 patients with abdominal TB, there were 62 (62%) patients with intestinal TB, 30 (30%) with peritoneal TB and 08 (08%) patients with nodal TB. The mean age of patients was 36.4+ 9.64 years. Fever w«.v observed in 74 (74%) patients, weight loss in 42 (42%), abdominal pain in 72 (72%), diarrhoea in 53 (53%), vomiting in 49 (49%), abdominal mass in 34 (34%)), and ascites in 36 (36%) patients. Montoux test was positive in 67 (67%), immuno-chromatographic testing (ICT) for tuberculosis uʹa.y positive in 62 (62%) patients. Chest radiograph was abnormal in 24 (24%) patients, Abdominal Ultrasonography showed abnormalities in 72 (72%) patients.. Barium contrast studies showed abnormalities in 77 (77%) patients. Computerized tomography (CT) of the abdomen was abnormal in 84 (84%).Conclusion: Intestinal tuberculosis was the most common entity in patients with TB abdomen. The most frequent presenting features of abdominal TB were fever and abdominal pain. CT abdomen had the highest diagnostic yield.