All issues > Volume 31(12); 1988

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1988;31(12):1594-1602. Published online December 31, 1988.

The Abeominal Tuberculosis in Children.

Young Sik Kim¹, Jeong Hun Ha¹, Jeong Kee Seo¹

¹Department of Pediatrics, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, Korea

Received: September 27, 1988;  Accepted: September 27, 1988.

Abstract

following results were obtained through the clinical review of 29 cases with the abdominal tuberculosis under the age of 15 years, who admitted to Seoul National University Hospital from January, 1977 to December, 1987. 1) Thirteen cases were patients with tuberculous peritonitis, 12 cases were patients with intestinal tuberculosis, and the remaining 4 cases were patients with both tuberculous peritonitis and intestinal tuberculosis. 2) The male to female ratio was 12 to 17 cases, and the mean age of patients was 9 years and 1 month, (from 1 year to 14 years) 3) The mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis was 4.3 months, and it was longer in patients with intestinal tuberculosis than in patients with tuberculous peritonitis. 4) The major symptoms were abdominal pain (72%), abdominal distension (59%), fever (55%), vomiting (48%), diarrhea (35%). The major signs were abdominal tenderness (59%) and ascites (38%). 5) Laboratory investigation revealed positive CRP (100%), elevated ESR (70%), anemia (62%), hypoalbuminemia (39%) and positive occult blood in stool (31%). Eighty five percent of cases sho- wed posit^e tuberculin skin reaction. 6) Fifteen cases (52%) showed pulmonary tuberculosis and the most common involoved site of intestinal tuberculosis in barium study was ileocecal area. 7) Forty eight percent of the patients were positive in BCG vaccination history and 43% of the patients were positive in family history of tuberculosis. 8) All patients showed clinical improvement after anti-Tb chemotherapy except one who lost foll- ow- up.

Keywords :Abdominal Tuberculosis, Tuberculous Peritonitis, Intestinal Tuberculosis, Children