Tuberculous wrist in the era of effective chemotherapy: an eleven-year experience

The chronic course and non-specific clinical manifestations of tuberculous (TB) wrist often cause failure to make a timely diagnosis.

To better understand the rarely encountered TB wrist.

Retrospective review and analysis of cases of TB wrist between 1986 and 1997 in a medical centre in southern Taiwan.

Thirty-seven cases (16 definitive, 13 probable and eight possible) of TB wrist (25 men, 12 women; mean age, 56.3 +/- 13.0 years) were found among a total of 4970 cases of tuberculosis. The most common presenting sign and symptom (mean duration 9.4 months) were local swelling and pain over the affected wrist. The mean white blood cell (WBC) count in peripheral blood was 7.04 x 10(9)/l, and the erythrocyte sediment rates (ESR) in seven of 31 patients who had ESR assayed were normal. Forty-six per cent of the patients had abnormal chest X-ray, and 35% had had previous manipulation of the affected wrist.

Physicians should have a high index of suspicion for TB wrist among patients with chronic arthritis, even when their peripheral WBC count and ESR are normal. An abnormal chest X-ray and/or a history of previous manipulation of the affected wrist could be important clues for possible TB wrist.