title: Prevalence and manifestations of tuberculosis in renal transplant recipients: a single-center experience in Thailand.
abstract: This retrospective review presented the prevalence and manifestations of tuberculosis among renal transplant recipients in our center between 1987 and mid 2007. The prevalence of tuberculosis was 5/151 (3.3%) recipients with a median age of 49 years (range = 38-55). The median time of diagnosis after transplantation was 23 months (range = 1-47). All five patients had pulmonary tuberculosis. None developed extrapulmonary infection. Presenting symptoms were fever (60%), productive cough (80%), weight loss (40%), and hemoptysis (20%). One patient had non-parathyroid-related hypercalcemia. Cyclosporine dosage needed to be increased in all patients. Two subjects who experienced side effects of hepatitis and/or jaundice from rifampicin were switched to second-line drugs. Infection with Mycobacterial tuberculosis is a not uncommon problem in renal transplant recipients especially in endemic areas. Tuberculosis must be excluded for immunosuppressed patients with clinical or radiological suspicion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nephrology, Phramongkutklao Hospital, Bangkok, Thailand. prajej@yahoo.com
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Ruangkanchanasetr
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Natejumnong
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitpanich
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Chaiprasert
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Luesutthiviboon
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Supaporn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000009:adverse effects*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009894:Opportunistic Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D013785:Thailand; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology*