Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) in miliary tuberculosis: a twelve year experience.

Miliary tuberculosis [MTB] is an uncommon but important treatable cause of acute respiratory distress syndrome [ARDS]. In this communication, six patients with MTB who developed ARDS in the course of their illness are described. The difficulties encountered in diagnosing MTB as a primary cause of ARDS are highlighted. The pathogenetic mechanisms of ARDS in MTB are briefly reviewed.