Miliary tuberculosis as a cause of acute empyema.
Adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and sepsis are known, life-threatening complications of miliary tuberculosis. This report describes a patient with miliary tuberculosis who rapidly developed an acute tuberculous empyema. She had a fulminant course culminating in ARDS, sepsis and subsequent death. This case highlights the rare association of acute empyema with miliary tuberculosis.
Runo
James R
JR
Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tenn., USA. james.runo@mcmail.vanderbilt.edu
Welch
Derek C
DC
Ness
Erik M
EM
Robbins
Ivan M
IM
Milstone
Aaron P
AP
D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D015897:Comorbidity; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology; D004654:Empyema, Tuberculous / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D017809:Fatal Outcome; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009102:Multiple Organ Failure / Q000209:etiology; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000382:microbiology; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000209:etiology; D014391:Tuberculosis, Miliary / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000473:pathology