title: Head and neck tuberculosis: 6-year retrospective study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Pulmonary involvement exists in 80% of cases of infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis; however, in up to 20% of cases there may be extra-pulmonary involvement. In the ENT area, the most common site is cervical lymphadenitis, affecting approximately 95% of cases.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a retrospective study of patients attending an ENT department in a tertiary hospital for head and neck symptoms that were diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB), between December 2007 and December 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 73 patients, 41 (56.2%) males and 32 (43.8%) females (M/F ratio=1.28), with a mean age of 39.4 years (± 26.5 years; Min 1, Max 88). There were 53 (72.6%) cases of cervical lymphadenopathy, 11 (15%) of laryngeal tuberculosis 3 (4.1%) of hypopharyngeal tuberculosis, and six cases in other locations. Of the total, 14 (19.2%) patients were HIV positive and 10 (13.7%) had a history of contact with relatives who had suffered pulmonary tuberculosis. PCR was performed in 51 (69.8%) cases to confirm being positive, of which 47 (92.1%) cases were.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The similarity of tuberculosis to diseases of poor prognosis and the difficulty of its diagnosis make considering tuberculosis necessary when exploring patients with ulcerative or granulomatous ENT lesions. Analysing our results, the incidence of TB according to its ENT area location is similar to that reported in the literature. It is important to make special mention of the use of PCR in our study and the benefits that its implementation means for diagnosis.
authors: Servicio de ORL, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, España. Electronic address: chiesaestomba86@gmail.com.
authors: Carlos Miguel
authors: CM
authors: Chiesa Estomba
authors: Servicio de ORL, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, España.
authors: Frank Alberto
authors: FA
authors: Betances Reinoso
authors: Servicio de ORL, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, España.
authors: Teresa
authors: T
authors: Rivera Schmitz
authors: Servicio de ORL, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, España.
authors: Carla Cristina
authors: CC
authors: Ossa Echeverri
authors: Servicio de ORL, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, España.
authors: María Jesús
authors: MJ
authors: González Cortés
authors: Servicio de ORL, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Vigo, Vigo, España.
authors: Carmelo
authors: C
authors: Santidrian Hidalgo
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D009333:Neck; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis
keywords: Cabeza; Cuello; Ear; Garganta; Head; Nariz; Neck; Nose; Oído; Throat; Tuberculosis