Tuberculosis in Spain. Autopsy study
Mallofré, C.; Bombí, J.A.; Palacín, A.; Cardesa, A.
Medicina Clinica 90(18): 735-738
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0025-7753 PMID: 3172871 Document Number: 323826
A survey has been carried out in 4,906 protocols of clinical autopsies performed in the Pathology Department of the Hospital Clinic (Medical School, Barcelona University), and 128 instances of active tuberculosis (TBC) have been found in 3,627 analyzable autopsies (3.52%). Mean age was 59.8 years. There were 56 cases of miliary TBC and 72 nonmiliary forms; among these there were 17 tuberculous bronchopneumonias and 14 cavitary forms. In 52% of cases TBC had been previously diagnosed during the life of the patient. In all instances of miliary TBC there was pulmonary involvement, with hepatic involvement in 66%, splenic involvement in 58%, lymph node involvement in 37% and renal involvement in 35%. 70% of cases of active TBC were associated with another disease. Thus, 17% had alcoholic liver disease, 14% had neoplastic disease and 13% cardiovascular disease. The incidence was reviewed for two separate periods of time (1973-75 and 1983-85), and no statistically significant differences that might illustrate the progression of the disease were found.