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Published on: September 5, 2017
Pediatric tuberculosis in Mexico: A retrospective analysis of 100 patients
Enrique G Villarreal1,2, Emilia Ramos-Barrera1, Ricardo J Estrada-Mendizabal1
1Tecnologico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Ave. Morones Prieto 3000, Monterrey, N.L. 64710, Mexico.
Insights
Pediatric tuberculosis (TB) in Mexico showed pulmonary TB as the most common form. Immunodeficiency and specific clinical presentations significantly increased mortality risk in children with TB.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Infectious Diseases
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Pediatric tuberculosis (TB) epidemiology and clinical manifestations are critical for global TB eradication efforts.
- Understanding TB in children in endemic regions requires analysis of diverse clinical scenarios.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the clinical scenarios and outcomes of tuberculosis in a large pediatric cohort in Mexico.
- To identify factors associated with mortality in pediatric TB cases.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective study analyzed 100 pediatric TB patients diagnosed between 2012 and 2021.
- Data included demographics, BCG vaccination status, clinical presentation, diagnostic findings, treatment, and outcomes.
- Descriptive statistics and Chi-squared analysis were used to evaluate associations with mortality.
Main Results:
- Pulmonary tuberculosis was the most frequent presentation (51%).
- Common symptoms included fever, cough, and weight loss; seizures, fever, and vomiting were noted in meningeal TB.
- Mortality was associated with clinical presentation (p=0.009) and immunodeficiency (p=0.015).
Conclusions:
- Timely diagnosis and treatment initiation for pediatric TB are essential, especially in endemic areas.
- A high index of suspicion is needed, particularly for immunocompromised children who face higher mortality risks.
- This study highlights key clinical data and outcomes for pediatric TB in Mexico.
Background:
Analyzing the epidemiology and clinical manifestations of pediatric tuberculosis in endemic regions is crucial to meet the goal of ending tuberculosis. The objective was to assess the various clinical scenarios of tuberculosis in a large pediatric cohort in Mexico.
Methods:
This retrospective study from a pediatric referral center in Mexico included patients diagnosed with tuberculosis from 2012 to 2021. We analyzed clinical data and diagnostic study results, including demographic characteristics, underlying medical conditions, BCG vaccination, clinical presentation, imaging findings, microbiologic data, treatment, and clinical outcomes. Basic descriptive statistics and Chi-squared analysis were performed to summarize the metadata of pediatric patients with different clinical presentations of tuberculosis and evaluate their association with mortality, respectively.
Results:
A total of 100 patients were included with a mean age of 7.76 years ± 1.49 years. The most prevalent clinical presentation was pulmonary tuberculosis (n = 51). Only 51 patients were immunized with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin vaccine. The most commons symptoms were fever, cough and weight loss. Among patients with meningeal tuberculosis (n = 14), the most common clinical signs were seizures, fever, and vomiting. Cure was achieved in 52 patients, 12 patients died, and 36 continue in treatment. Clinical presentation of tuberculosis (p-value = 0.009) and immunodeficiency (p-value = 0.015) were significantly associated with mortality.
Conclusions:
Increasing the visibility of tuberculosis is imperative to end this disease. We report relevant clinical data of a large pediatric tuberculosis cohort, stratified by the different forms of disease. A high index of suspicion of tuberculosis is required for a timely diagnosis and treatment initiation, particularly among immunocompromised individuals, in whom mortality is higher.
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