[Cutaneous tuberculosis: a 15-year descriptive study].
BACKGROUND
Cutaneous tuberculosis has experienced a resurgence following a period of decline. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of cutaneous tuberculosis in the Ferrol Healthcare Area (Spain).


METHODS
Between 1991-2005, 1139 new cases of tuberculosis were diagnosed in Ferrol and submitted to a descriptive analysis. Cutaneous involvement was investigated in all cases.


RESULTS
Among 1139 patients, 55 cases of cutaneous tuberculosis were diagnosed (4.8%). The condition was more frequent in women (70.9%), average age was 44.1 +/- 23.3 years, and 56.4% of patients were treated with 6HR2Z-E. Among the 55 cases, 26 (2.3%) were true cutaneous tuberculosis and 29 (2.5%) were tuberculids. In the 26 cases of true tuberculosis, the most frequent form was scrofuloderma (32.7%), followed of lupus vulgaris (7.2%), tuberculous gumma (3.6%), and tuberculosis verrucosa cutis (3.6%). The most frequent locations were the neck, face and trunk, and in 76.9% other sites were involved (lymph nodes 14, bone 6, lung 4, and intestine 1). In the 29 cases with tuberculids, erythema nodosum was the most frequent form (49.1%) followed by erythema induratum of Bazin (3.6%). The lower extremities were affected in all cases and there was simultaneous involvement of other site in 51.9%. In patients with true cutaneous tuberculosis, the diagnostic yield was greater (necrotizing granulomas in 70.6% of biopsies and positive Löwenstein culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in 77.8%) and average age was higher than in patients with tuberculids (P < .05).


CONCLUSIONS
Cutaneous tuberculosis is uncommon, preferentially affects women, and is usually associated with tuberculous disease in other locations, particularly in the case of scrofuloderma.
García-Rodríguez
José Francisco
JF
Servicio de Medicina Interna, Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Complejo Hospitalario Arquitecto Marcide-Novoa Santos, Ferrol, España. jfgarciar@medynet.com
Monteagudo-Sánchez
Benigno
B
Mariño-Callejo
Ana
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014382:Tuberculosis, Cutaneous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*