Tuberculous peritonitis in Lesotho.
Tuberculous peritonitis, although a common cause of ascites in Africa, previously was rarely diagnosed in Lesotho. We evaluated prospectively 105 consecutive patients admitted with ascites: tuberculosis accounted for 42% of the cases. Clinical differentiation from other causes of ascites proved to be difficult: signs and symptoms commonly associated with this disease were non-specific and often absent. The majority of our patients were elderly, male and alcoholic. Mortality was 26% despite treatment, and was highest among the aged and those who abused alcohol.
D000368:Aged; D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007927:Lesotho; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies