TUBERCULOUS PERITONITIS IN CHRONIC LIVER-DISEASE - CLINICAL-FEATURES AND RESPONSE TO TREATMENT

To find out the clinical presentation, laboratory results, and treatme nt response of tuberculous peritonitis in patients with chronic liver disease, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all patien ts with tuberculous peritonitis diagnosed by laparoscopy at King Khali d University Hospital over a period of seven years. A total of 17 pati ents (Group 1, consisting of 11 males and six females with a mean age of 53.9 +/- 17.5 years) had both chronic liver disease and tuberculous peritonitis, while 27 patients (Group 2, consisting of 17 males and 1 0 females with a mean age of 39.5 +/- 16.3 years) had only tuberculous peritonitis. Tuberculous peritonitis in chronic liver disease had a s imilar clinical and laboratory presentation compared to patients with tuberculous peritonitis but without liver disease. However, Group 1 we re significantly older, had lower ascitic protein content and higher m ortality (P values of 0.094, 0.002 and 0.02, respectively). Both group s responded favorably to specific therapy. The overall mortality was r ecorded as 5.6%. In conclusion, the clinical presentation of tuberculo us peritonitis in patients with chronic liver disease is similar to th at of patients without liver disease except for ascitic protein, which is lower in the former group of patients. The prognosis is good with specific therapy.