[Clinical, diagnostic and evolutionary profile of peritoneal tuberculosis at the national reference general hospital of Ndjamena about 69 cases].

Abstract

Introduction: Peritoneal tuberculosis is not uncommon in Chad. Its diagnosis of certainty is difficult and is based on the analysis of ascites fluid and abdominal ultrasound. Our aim was to contribute to the study of the various clinical, diagnostic and progressive aspects of peritoneal tuberculosis in the internal medicine department of the HGRN.

Methodology: This is a retrospective and prospective study spread over 39 months covering the period from January 2014 to March 2017 including all patients hospitalized for peritoneal tuberculosis in the internal medicine department of the HGRN. The diagnosis was made, on a bundle of anamnestic, clinical, ultrasound, cytological and evolutionary arguments.

Results: During the study period, 69 patients were included, or 9.77% of all hospital admissions. The average age was 42 years (range 18 to 83 years). The female sex represented 52.2% of the cases. The main reasons for hospitalization were ascites (87% of cases), associated with fever (92.5% of cases). The clinical signs were dominated by abdominal pain, deterioration of general condition and transit disorders. The ascites fluid was citrus yellow, rich in lymphocytes (81.6% of cases) and protein (94.2% of cases). Abdominal ultrasound, performed in all patients, demonstrated ascites with deep, mesenteric lymphadenopathy, portal in 62.3% of cases and compartmentalized in 37.7% of cases. Tuberculosis treatment was started in all patients and the outcome was favorable in 65.2% of cases. We deplored 20.3% mortality; all were patients who were severely immunosuppressed with HIV.

Conclusion: Peritoneal involvement in tuberculosis is common in Chad. The diagnosis is not always easy, but the clinic associated with the exudative and lymphocytic characters of the ascites fluid as well as the abdominal ultrasound are elements which can direct towards a peritoneal localization of tuberculosis. The course is generally favorable under early treatment and well conducted.