Gastrointestinal tuberculosis: a retrospective review of 109 cases in a district general hospital

In a retrospective survey of 109 patients with gastrointestinal tuberculosis, 91 occurred in immigrants of Asian origin, six were diagnosed at post-mortem, and only 31 had evidence of pulmonary disease. Abdominal pain, weight loss, fever and vomiting were the most common symptoms. Barium contrast studies showed abnormalities in 56 per cent of cases but these could not be distinguished from the changes caused by other chronic inflammatory bowel diseases. Drug treatment was used in all patients, combined with biopsy in 37 and resection in 36. Results of treatment were good with low morbidity and mortality, there were few long-term problems and no relapses have occurred.