Abstract
Thirty-eight of 58 patients with skeletal tuberculosis (TB) reviewed were immigrants and 20 were of British indigenous origin. Spinal involvement i 28 cases was less common than involvement of peripheral joints, bones, or tendon sheaths (30 cases). Predisposing factors, including previous TB, were present in 70% of British patients and 31% of immigrants. Follow-up study of 23 cases showed that a complete clinical recovery of the skeletal disease was more likely in immigrants than indigenous cases and also in cases referred to hospital early. Immigrants presented usually within 5 years after arrival in Britain and at a younger age than indigenous cases; a quarter had within 5 sites of infection outside the skeletal system. Skeletal tuberculosis in the indigenous population remains very uncommon, and in half of these cases a history of previous TB was given. The need for continued awareness of skeletal TB is stressed, especially in immigrants, and also the importance of early diagnosis and institution of appropriate therapy.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Ascher N. L., Simmons R. L., Marker S., Klugman J., Najarian J. S. Tuberculous joint disease in transplant patients. Am J Surg. 1978 Jun;135(6):853–856. doi: 10.1016/0002-9610(78)90180-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Berney S., Goldstein M., Bishko F. Clinical and diagnostic features of tuberculous arthritis. Am J Med. 1972 Jul;53(1):36–42. doi: 10.1016/0002-9343(72)90113-1. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Freilich D., Swash M. Diagnosis and management of tuberculous paraplegia with special reference to tuberculous radiculomyelitis. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1979 Jan;42(1):12–18. doi: 10.1136/jnnp.42.1.12. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Friedman B., Kapur V. N. Newer knowledge of chemotherapy in the treatment of tuberculosis of bones and joints. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1973 Nov-Dec;(97):5–15. doi: 10.1097/00003086-197311000-00002. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Grenville-Mathers R., Clark J. B. The development of tuberculosis in Afro-Asian immigrants. Tubercle. 1979 Mar;60(1):25–29. doi: 10.1016/0041-3879(79)90052-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Nicholson R. A. Twenty years of bone and joint tuberculosis in Bradford. A comparison of the disease in the indigenous and Asian populations. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 1974 Nov;56-B(4):760–765. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.56B4.760. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Walker G. F. Failure of early recognition of skeletal tuberculosis. Br Med J. 1968 Mar 16;1(5593):682–683. doi: 10.1136/bmj.1.5593.682. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Wilkinson M. C. A note on Poncet's tuberculous rheumatism. Tubercle. 1967 Dec;48(4):297–306. doi: 10.1016/s0041-3879(67)80038-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]