[A study on cases diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis after admission to the general hospital lacking tuberculosis ward].
We analyzed retrospectively the clinical data of 12 patients diagnosed as pulmonary tuberculosis after admission to the National Himeji Hospital during the past 5 years. Ten out of 12 patients were male and were of elder age-groups (mean age: 65.5 years, range: 32-76 years). Seven patients at first visited the department of respiratory medicine, and the remaining three patients were admitted without consulting the department of respiratory medicine before admission. Only patient had a history of pulmonary tuberculosis. Two patients were suspected of pulmonary tuberculosis on admission. Tubercle bacilli were positive sputum smear in 6 patients, sputum culture in 1, smear of bronchial washing in 4, and smear of BALF in 1. It took 12.7 days on the average from the admission to make a final diagnosis as pulmonary tuberculosis patients into a general hospital lacking TB ward were as follows: (1) As pulmonary TB was not suspected, Chest X-ray and sputum examination were not performed. (2) The admission was done due to another disease and respiratory symptoms were scarce. (3) Tuberculosis lesions on chest X-ray were harbored by pleural effusions and diffuse shadows. (4) Though pulmonary tuberculosis was suspected, a patient was admitted because of general prostration as sputum smear was negative. After admission, however, repeated sputum culture revealed positive results. (5) Pulmonary tuberculosis developed after the admission.
Minakuchi
M
M
Department of Internal Medicine, National Himeji Hospital, Hyougo, Japan.
Mochizuki
Y
Y
Nakahara
Y
Y
Kawanami
R
R
Kawamura
T
T
Tsuyuguchi
K
K
Kimoto
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006757:Hospital Units; D006769:Hospitals, General; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis*