TUBERCULOUS PERICARDITIS IN NORTHEAST TURKEY - AN ECHOCARDIOGRAPHIC STUDY

Twenty patients with tuberculous pericarditis who were referred to the Blacksea Technical University Medical School Cardiology Department fr om January 1979 to January 1992 were followed for 12-18 months by repe ated echocardiography, before and after antituberculous therapy. Initi al echocardiograms revealed moderate pericardial effusion in 7 patient s (35%), and large effusion in 13 (65%). Thickened pericardium was not ed in 2. After medical treatment, at the follow-up period, echocardiog raphy revealed small effusion in only 2, the remaining had no effusion . Despite adequate antituberculous therapy, 6 patients developed peric ardial thickening, 3 required pericardiectomy for constriction.