Tuberculosis in patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis.
Tuberculosis was diagnosed in eight patients undergoing maintenance hemodialysis and occurred with an incidence 10 times that of the general population. Dialysis-associated tuberculosis is characterized by intermittent fever, anorexia, weight loss and hepatomegaly. Ascites was present in 50 per cent of the patients. A recently converted positive tuberculin skin test was observed in five of eight patients. Tuberculosis was extrapulmonary in seven of eight cases and consequently the diagnosis was frequently delayed. Over-all mortality was 37.5 per cent and correlated with the duration of symptoms prior to initiation of therapy. A trial of antituberculous therapy is warranted in patients undergoing dialysis in whom fever of unknown origin, anorexia, weight loss and/or hepatomegaly develop particularly in areas endemic for tuberculosis.
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009519:New York City; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*