Incidence and prognosis of tuberculosis in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. A Danish nationwide population based study

• Published in: Epidemiology and infection 2000-04, Vol.124 (2), p.221-225
• Main Authors: THULSTRUP, A. M., MØLLE, I., SVENDSEN, N., SØRENSEN, H. T.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Age Distribution; Age groups; Aged; Alcoholic liver cirrhosis; Bacteriology; Biological and medical sciences; Cirrhosis; Cohort Studies; Comorbidity; Denmark; Denmark - epidemiology; Epidemiology; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology. Liver. Pancreas. Abdomen; Humans; Incidence; Liver cirrhosis; Liver Cirrhosis - diagnosis; Liver Cirrhosis - epidemiology; Liver Cirrhosis - microbiology; Liver. Biliary tract. Portal circulation. Exocrine pancreas; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Microbiology; Middle Aged; Mortality; Mycobacterium tuberculosis; Odds Ratio; Other diseases. Semiology; Predisposing factors; Prognosis; Risk Factors; Sex Distribution; Survival Rate; Tuberculosis - diagnosis; Tuberculosis - epidemiology
• ISSN: 0950-2688; 1469-4409
• DOI: 10.1017/S0950268899003593

We examined the incidence rate and prognosis of tuberculosis in a cohort of patients with liver cirrhosis in Denmark. In a study cohort of 22675 patients with liver cirrhosis, we identified 151 cases of tuberculosis from 1977 to 1993. The incidence rate was 168·6 per 100000 person-years of risk, and the highest incidence rate was among men above 65 years of age, with an incidence rate of 246·0 per 100000 person-years of risk. The 30-day case-fatality rate was 27·3% and the 1-year case fatality rate was 47·7%. The results demonstrate that patients with liver cirrhosis are at increased risk of tuberculosis. Additionally, it is suggested that liver cirrhosis is an independent risk factor for tuberculosis, and that patients with liver cirrhosis who acquire tuberculosis have a poor prognosis.