Clinical and radiographic characteristics of pulmonary tuberculosis.
Pulmonary tuberculosis in the elderly shows a specific clinical presentation in relation to younger persons. The aim of this study was to examine the influence of age and possible risk factors on pulmonary tuberculosis, clinical features of disease and lung x-ray findings. The research included 151 patients who had been treated at the Pulmonary Department of the Health Centre in Kosovska Mitrovica in the period from 2005 to 2009. Younger patients often suffer from severe forms of tuberculosis with caverns (46.9%), a significantly higher number of their sputum is positive for bacillus Kohn and they show a greater tendency towards alcoholism. A common symptom in older patients is dyspnea and radiographic changes are the most intense in the lower lung fields. The number of younger people suffering from severe forms of cavernous tuberculosis is significantly higher. Sputum findings are often negative, the caverns are found less often and lower lung fields are affected more often in the elderly.
Department of Physiology, Medical Faculty, Kosovska Mitrovica-Pristina, Serbia. srna@eunet.rs
Sonja
S
Smiljić
Blagica
B
Radović
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012307:Risk Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055815:Young Adult