title: Extrapulmonary tuberculosis: a retrospective review of 194 cases at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the types and treatment outcomes of the extra-pulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) cases in a tertiary care hospital in a high burden tuberculosis country.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective case series study was conducted at Liaquat National Hospital (LNH), the largest private tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan. All cases diagnosed and treated as EPTB between November 2005 and February 2007 were included. Data was retrieved from medical records on demographics, clinical, laboratory, and outcome status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 194 patients treated for EPTB were identified. Mean age of patients was 34 +/- 16.4 years, and 75% of patients were female. Lymph nodes and spine were the most common sites involved (60%). The cure rate was 40.7%. There was no difference in cure rate of males and females (p=0.99).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EPTB is an important clinical problem in Pakistan. Due to lack of guidelines for diagnosis and duration of treatment in EPTB most physicians in Pakistan treat patients based on clinical symptoms and for prolonged duration of 12, to even as long as 24 months. The National TB Program, and chest and infectious disease societies must develop standardized guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of EPTB.
authors.affiliation: Interactive Research & Development, Karachi, Pakistan.
authors.forename: Subhash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandir
authors.forename: Subash
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chandir
authors.forename: Hamidah
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hussain
authors.forename: Naseem
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Salahuddin
authors.forename: Mohammad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Amir
authors.forename: Farheen
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: Ismat
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Lotia
authors.forename: Amir Javed
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Khan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D055815:Young Adult