Extrapulmonary tuberculosis

History & exam

Key factors

  • presence of risk factors
  • enlarged lymph node
  • pleuritic chest pain
  • skeletal pain
  • headache
  • urinary symptoms
  • abdominal swelling
  • abdominal pain

Other diagnostic factors

  • cough
  • altered mental status
  • neurological symptoms
  • hepatomegaly
  • abnormal chest examination
  • fever
  • weight loss of more than 10% body weight
  • anorexia
  • malaise
  • night sweats
  • dyspnoea
  • asymptomatic
  • erythema nodosum

History & exam details

Diagnostic tests

1st tests to order

  • chest x-ray
  • sputum smear
  • sputum culture
  • tuberculin skin testing (TST)
  • FBC
  • lymph node fine-needle aspiration (FNA)
  • pleural fluid analysis
  • ascitic fluid analysis
  • bone films
  • CSF analysis
  • urinalysis

Tests to consider

  • lymph node biopsy
  • pleural biopsy
  • synovial biopsy
  • liver biopsy
  • bone marrow biopsy
  • nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)
  • blood culture
  • peritoneal biopsy
  • gastric aspirate
  • bronchoscopy
  • thoracoscopy
  • susceptibility testing
  • interferon-gamma release assays (IGRA)
  • genotyping
  • HIV test
  • empiric treatment
  • CT scan chest or abdomen
  • colonoscopy

Diagnostic tests details

Treatment details

Presumptive

no comorbidity non-pregnant: induction therapy

  • antituberculous therapy
  • additional antibiotics for suspected resistance
  • pyridoxine
  • corticosteroids

with comorbidity non-pregnant: induction therapy

  • HIV-positive on antiretrovirals (ARVs)
    • antituberculous therapy
    • additional antibiotics for suspected resistance
    • pyridoxine
    • corticosteroids
  • haemodialysis or creatinine clearance <30 mL/minute
    • antituberculous therapy
    • additional antibiotics for suspected resistance
    • pyridoxine
    • corticosteroids
  • with/at risk of hepatic injury
    • liver-sparing antituberculous therapy
    • corticosteroids
  • acute gout
    • antituberculous therapy
    • additional antibiotics for suspected resistance
    • pyridoxine
    • corticosteroids

pregnant: induction therapy

  • antituberculous therapy
  • additional antibiotics for suspected resistance
  • pyridoxine
  • corticosteroids

Ongoing

no comorbidity non-pregnant: continuation therapy

  • antituberculous therapy
  • pyridoxine

with comorbidity non-pregnant: continuation therapy

  • HIV-positive on antiretrovirals (ARVs)
    • antituberculous therapy
    • pyridoxine
  • haemodialysis or creatinine clearance <30 mL/minute
    • antituberculous therapy
    • pyridoxine
  • with/at risk of hepatic injury
    • antituberculous therapy
    • pyridoxine
  • acute gout
    • antituberculous therapy
    • pyridoxine

pregnant: continuation therapy

  • antituberculous therapy
  • pyridoxine

Treatment details

Last updated: Nov 20, 2012
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