Publication: Abdominal tuberculosis – a study of 25 cases
Date
2004
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Kathmandu University
Abstract
Abdominal tuberculosis is one of the common extra pulmonary tubercular infections. Its clinical presentation is
protean and it has diagnostic dilemma, as most of the investigations are non-specific and less sensitive. Therefore
this study was undertaken to define the most suggestive clinical features of abdominal tuberculosis, to find out the
efficacy of most commonly available investigations and also to evaluate the response of abdominal tuberculosis to
conventional antitubercular therapy. Twenty five cases of either sex were studied in department of gastroenterology
in BSMMU (earlier IPGMR), Dhaka from January 2001 to June 2003. All patients were clinically evaluated and
were investigated by available tests. Eighteen patients were diagnosed by investigations (One by detecting AFB, 9
with caseating granuloma in iopsy specimen and 8 with suggestive radiological findings). Diagnosis of 7 patients
were made from the common clinical features (fever, weight loss, altered bowel habit, abdominal pain and
distension, positive non-specific findings and from response by antitubercular therapy. All patients received
conventional 9 month anti-tubercular treatment with Rifampicin, Isoniazide and Pyrazinamide and were followed up
clinically during and one year after completion of treatment. All patients were improved with minimum side effects
of drug. Therefore, it is observed that a representative tissue biopsy (when approachable) and radiological findings
are good method of diagnosis of abdominal tuberculosis. Strongly suggestive clinical features with positive non
specific investigation findings are also an indication for anti tubercular treatment in all endemic countries like Nepal,
Bangladesh and India. Treatment of abdominal tuberculosis is in no way different from that of other conventional
anti- TB therapy.
Keywords: Tuberculosis, Abdominal Tuberculosis.