title: Fatal undiagnosed tuberculosis in hospitalized patients.
abstract: Thirty-seven cases of active tuberculosis were misdiagnosed in Chaim Sheba Medical Center in the years 1964-1974. The diagnosis was made only after death. Twenty-one patients were over 60 years of age. Eleven had hematological disorders, and 12 received steroids (sometimes with immunosuppressive or cytotoxic drugs). Misdiagnosis of miliary tuberculosis is a growing problem and demands special attention. The postmortem examination must be systematic and must include bacteriological and histological studies for establishment of the correct diagnosis.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000686:Amyloidosis / Q000175:diagnosis; D001344:Autopsy; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D048909:Diabetes Complications; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D013256:Steroids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014391:Tuberculosis, Miliary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D013256:Steroids