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  1. Chong VH
    Med J Malaysia, 2011 Oct;66(4):318-21.
    PMID: 22299550
    Objectives: Tuberculosis remains a common infection and is often associated with non-specific constitutional symptoms or laboratory investigations regardless of site of manifestations. This study compares the profiles of abdominal tuberculosis (ATB) and pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).
    Methods: Patients with ATB (n=34, male-21, mean age 43.3 ± 16.0 years) diagnosed over a nine year period were identified from the National Tuberculosis registry and retrospectively reviewed. Comparisons were made with patients treated for PTB (n=163).
    Results: The most commonly affected sites were the ileocecal regions, peritoneum and hepatobiliary system. Common clinical presentations were abdominal pain (61.8%), anorexia (44.1%), weight loss (55.9%), fever (41.1%) and abdominal distension (29.4%). Four patients had concomitant active PTB. Compared to PTB, patients with ATB had significantly lower serum haemoglobin (11.6 ± 2.4 vs. 12.6 ± 2.0 gm/dL, p=0.036) and higher rate of adverse events of antituberculous treatment (50% vs. 15.4%, p<0.001). There were no difference in prevalence of constitutional symptoms (fever, weight loss and anorexia), platelet level, albumin, total protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate. Importantly, there was no difference in the treatment
    response. More patients with ATB and concomitant active PTB had reported weight loss (100% vs. 36.7%, p=0.017).
    Conclusion: There are differences in the profiles of ATB and PTB. Awareness of such differences can help to improve the understanding and management of this infection.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal/drug therapy
  2. Ramanathan M, Wahinuddin S, Safari E, Sellaiah SP
    Singapore Med J, 1997 Sep;38(9):364-8.
    PMID: 9407759
    Abdominal tuberculosis (TB) is common. But the diagnosis of abdominal TB is fraught with difficulties as it is often not possible to get a microbiological confirmation of the infection. We therefore undertook this study to highlight those pertinent clinical and laboratory features which would enable one to make a provisional diagnosis of abdominal TB early, to pave way for a trial of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy.
    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal/drug therapy
  3. Lowbridge C, Fadhil SAM, Krishnan GD, Schimann E, Karuppan RM, Sriram N, et al.
    BMC Infect Dis, 2020 Mar 30;20(1):255.
    PMID: 32228479 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-04983-y
    BACKGROUND: Gastrointestinal tuberculosis (TB) is diagnostically challenging; therefore, many cases are treated presumptively. We aimed to describe features and outcomes of gastrointestinal TB, determine whether a clinical algorithm could distinguish TB from non-TB diagnoses, and calculate accuracy of diagnostic tests.

    METHODS: We conducted a prospective cohort study of hospitalized patients in Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia, with suspected gastrointestinal TB. We recorded clinical and laboratory characteristics and outcomes. Tissue samples were submitted for histology, microscopy, culture and GeneXpert MTB/RIF®. Patients were followed for up to 2 years.

    RESULTS: Among 88 patients with suspected gastrointestinal TB, 69 were included in analyses; 52 (75%) had a final diagnosis of gastrointestinal TB; 17 had a non-TB diagnosis. People with TB were younger (42.7 versus 61.5 years, p = 0.01) and more likely to have weight loss (91% versus 64%, p = 0.03). An algorithm using age  26 g/L, platelets > 340 × 109/L and immunocompromise had good specificity (96.2%) in predicting TB, but very poor sensitivity (16.0%). GeneXpert® performed very well on gastrointestinal biopsies (sensitivity 95.7% versus 35.0% for culture against a gold standard composite case definition of confirmed TB). Most patients (79%) successfully completed treatment and no treatment failure occurred, however adverse events (21%) and mortality (13%) among TB cases were high. We found no evidence that 6 months of treatment was inferior to longer courses.

    CONCLUSIONS: The prospective design provides important insights for clinicians managing gastrointestinal TB. We recommend wider implementation of high-performing diagnostic tests such as GeneXpert® on extra-pulmonary samples.

    Matched MeSH terms: Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal/drug therapy
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