PERICARDIAL INVOLVEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS.

Tuberculosis is a known infectious disease for human being from ancient times. Although there are worldwide improvements in treatment of patients, especially in developed countries, it is still a major health problem in some developing countries. In this study perieardial involvement of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis is investigated.

Methods & Material: In this case-control study, 100 patients with pulmonary tuberculasis were randomly selected from Bandar Abbas tuberculosis center as cases and 50 healthy persons were selected as the control group. Pericardial involvement of both groups were investigated using electrocardiography and echocardiography. The data were statistically analysed using SPSS software.

Results: Moderate pericardial effecusion was observed in 11% of the patients. In 31% of the cases pericardial thichness was more than 5 mm, where as in the control group, pericardial tickness was not more than 5 mm. Negative relationship between pericardial thickness and treatment duration, indicated the positive effects of antituberculosis medication on pericardial thickness. In 8 HIV positive patients, pericardial effeusion increased.

Conclusion: A Negative relashionship between pericardial involvement and medication duration exists. Moreover there is a clear relationship between pericardial inveolvement and HIV positivity.

Echocardiography study of all patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and thick pericard or pericardial effusion is recommended.