J Korean Pediatr Soc.  1979 May;22(5):360-365.

Clinical Review of Miliary Tuberculosis

• Chung K
• Jun J
• Koo J

Abstract

A clinical study was made on 26 children with miliary tuberculosis, who were admitted to the Pediatric department of Kyungpook national university hospital during the period of July, 1973 through June, 1978. Following results were obtained: There was no significant annual difference. However, the highest incidence was noted in the spring(46.2%). Children under the age of 6 were affected most frequently (76.9%), especially under the age of 1(30.8%). Contact history to a known tuberculous patients was noted in 23%(either parents or relatives), and BCG vaccination in younger age was given only in 23.1%. The chief complaints on admission, in order of frequency, were as follows: fever(42.3%), general weakness, dyspnea, coughing, headache, etc. And abnormalities on physical findings were hepatomegaly(53.8%), followed by auscultatory abnormality of the lung(42.3%), neurologic abnormality(42.3%), etc. Tiberculin test using 1 unit of PPD was positive in 36.4%. Hematologic abnormalities were as follow: ESR over 20mm/hr. in 44.4%, hemoglobin less than 11gm% in 53.8%, and increased leucocyte counts on peripheral blood over 10,000/cmm in 50%. AFB culture was positive in 17.6%. Among complications and associated diseases, tuberculous meningitis was the most common one, comprising 42.3%, and sucutaneous emphysema was seen in 2 cases. The mortality rate was 15.4%, 30.8%, in whom follow-up study was possible, showed in all of them improvement after triple therapy, and in most of them, miliary density on the chest x-ray disappeared within 4 months after initiation of antituberculous therapy.

MeSH Terms

Child
Cough
Dyspnea
Emphysema
Follow-Up Studies
Gyeongsangbuk-do
Headache
Humans
Incidence
Mortality
Mycobacterium bovis
Parents
Thorax
Tuberculosis, Meningeal
Tuberculosis, Miliary*
Vaccination