[Epidemiologic study of tuberculous disease in the Hospital La Fe in Valencia]

Hospitals have currently been entrusted with an important role in both the diagnosis and treatment as well as the control and surveillance of tuberculosis. The situation of tuberculosis in the Hospital La Fe of Valencia (Spain) was herewith studied, evaluating the epidemiologic changes of clinical presentation and the development of this disease during from 1985 to 1989.

A series of 376 patients diagnosed with tuberculosis was reviewed. Personal data and that of hospitalization, toxic habits, other diseases, association to known risk groups, characteristics of the tuberculous disease, diagnostic methods, treatment and related mortality were studied. A descriptive epidemiologic study was performed.

A predominance was observed in males (73%), with a mean age of 42 years (SD 19.32) and a predominance of patients working in the industrial or agricultural sector. Hospitalization for this disease was notably reduced throughout the study period. The year 1988 showed the greatest incidence of cases and in 83.9% of the case patients were only admitted to hospital once because of tuberculosis. The main localization was the lung with a common therapeutic schedule being used in most of the patients.

In the authors' medium it must be taken into consideration that tuberculosis may manifest with several and insidious forms. A better quality of life has been described for tuberculous patients thanks to the unified therapeutic schedule, being usually completed in the everyday environment.