A retrospective review of paediatric lymph node tuberculosis in Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea

The study aimed to examine the perception that the relapse rate following s tandard short-course chemotherapy in children with lymph node tuberculosis is greater than in similarly treated children with pulmonary tuberculosis ( TB). The treatment records, clinical data and results of investigations of 427 children treated for lymph node TB between 1989 and 1996 were analysed. The results and role of investigations are discussed. The relapse rate was compared with that of 892 children treated for pulmonary TB during the sam e period. The documented relapse rate for lymph node TB was 2.8% compared w ith 0.6% in pulmonary TB. This highly significant difference led to a prosp ective study of outcome of lymph node TB treatment in Port Moresby.