title: Tuberculous peritonitis in uremic patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify clinical features and treatment response of tuberculous peritonitis (TBP) in a uremic population, a retrospective case-control study was performed.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen uremic patients with TBP (Group I: 62.7 +/- 6.8 years, male 54%) collected between January 1986 and January 2002 were compared with another two age- and sex-matched controls: 19 non-azotemic patients with TBP (Group II: 62.9 +/- 7.3 years, male 47%) and 30 uremic patients without TBP (Group III: 61.1 +/- 8.7 years, male 47%). Clinical information and data of ascites and blood examinations were evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between Groups I and II were found in comorbidity, hypertension, anorexia, percentages of neutrophil and lymphocyte from blood and ascites, and serum calcium (sCa), phosphorus and albumin-adjusted calcium (sAACa). However, no significant differences in duration of symptoms, coexistent pulmonary tuberculosis (p = 0.061), duration or complications of therapy and mortality (p = 0.13) were detected. Significant differences between Groups I and III were found in peripheral white cell counts and percentages of neutrophil and lymphocyte as well as in serum creatinine (sCr), albumin, sCa, sAACa and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-specific symptoms make the diagnosis of TBP in a uremic population difficult. However, neutrophil predominance in blood and ascites, hypoalbuminemia, relatively lower sCr and hypercalcemia with suppressed serum iPTH were found to be characteristic. In TBP uremic patients, therapy complications were not common and there was a tendency for higher mortality, largely due to septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Kaohsiung, Taiwan, ROC. khung@adm.cgmh.org.tw
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Hung
authors.forename: C T
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: K T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Hsu
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014395:Peritonitis, Tuberculous / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D011379:Prognosis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014511:Uremia / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*