Abdominal tuberculosis in Ahmadi, Kuwait: a clinico-pathological review

For studying abdominal tuberculosis (TB) in Ahmadi, files off all patients admitted to our hospital with abdominal TB over 15 years (1981-1996) were reviewed. Nineteen patients are reported here. Young adults were predominant in our study. The non-Arab Asians were the most frequently affected group in relation to their population in Ahmadi, and Kuwaitis were the least frequently affected group. Abdominal pain, sweating, anorexia and fever were the most frequent presenting symptoms. Ascites and intestinal obstruction were the most frequent clinical presentations. Two patients presented with acute appendicitis and one patient had tuberculous pancreatitis. Abdominal lymph nodes, peritoneum, ileum and and caecum were the most frequently affected abdominal structures. We found laparoscopy very helpful in diagnosis of abdominal TB and we recommend it as the diagnostic method of choice. All our patients responded well to antituberculous chemotherapy. It should be kept in mind that abdominal TB still affects the indigenous and expatriate population of Kuwait.