Spectrum of tuberculosis in dialysis patients in saudi arabia

Data from different regional hospitals of Saudi Arabia were collected to know the prevalence, clinical features and results of therapy of tuberculosis, in patients on dialysis. Eight hospitals located in five different provinces of Saudi Arabia were involved. There were 132 patients with TB on dialysis of whom 75 were males (mean ages in different hospitals ranging 42-58 years) and 57 were females (mean ages ranging 38-58 years). The prevalence of TB in these patients varied from 2.4 to 14.5% with an average of 7%, which is 12 times commoner than in the general population of Saudi Arabia. The presenting clinical features were fever (65%), cough (17%), weight loss (59%) and anorexia (58%). The organs/systems involved by TB were pulmonary in 73 (55.3%), lymphadenopathy in 30 (22.7%) peritoneal in 27 (20.4%) and bone in seven (5.3%). The diagnosis of TB was made by X-ray chest in 73, positive acid fast bacilli in sputum in 38, lymph node biopsy in 30, ascitic fluid examination in 20 and other tests in 17 patients. Four anti-TB drugs namely, isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (Rif), ethambutol (Eth) and pyrazinamide (Pyra) were used in 58 patients (44%) for six months; three drugs namely, INH, Rif, and Eth or Pyra were used in 61 patients (46%) for a variable period of six to 12 months. A total of 28 (21%) patients expired, eight while on therapy, one before starting the therapy and 19 after they were cured of TB. The main causes of death were sepsis in eight (28.5%), cardiovascular in seven (25%) and sudden death in six (21%). TB was not the direct cause of death in any of the patients except one, in whom it could be contributory.