The spectrum of tuberculosis among patients of the King Abdul Aziz Unveristy Hospital, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

A retrospective study, reviewing the medical records of 157 patients with a final diagnosis of tuberculosis on discharge, was conducted at King Abdul Aziz University Hospital during the period July 1999 to July 2001. The data included demographic characteristics, the spectrum of clinical presentations, diagnostic methods, and the outcome of treatment. A total of 157 patients were admitted with tuberculosis; their median age was 33(+/- 15.33) years. Fifty-seven (36%) were Saudis and 100 (64%) were non-Saudis. Pulmonary tuberculosis and pleural effusion were the commonest presentations (37.6%). Diagnosis was confirmed in most cases by either a positive sputum smear for AFB or by pleural biopsy; in five patients the diagnosis was made on clinical grounds and pleural fluid analysis. There was a wide spectrum of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, diagnosed histologically except in five cases, in which treatment was started empirically based on high clinical suspicion and a strongly positive tuberculin test.