Incidence of pericardial effusion in pulmonary tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is one cause of pericardial disease. In order to know the incidence of tuberculous pericardial effusion (TPE) in patients with pulmo nary tuberculosis (PT), the factors associated with their presence and whet her human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients have a higher risk, we anal yzed different parameters and performed an echocardiography to evaluate the presence of TPE. The incidence of TPE was 14.1%, and the presence of pleur al effusion was associated with TPE (OR 24.39). HIV patients do not have a higher risk of TPE, independently of immunosuppression. It is necessary to eliminate the presence of TPE in patients with PT, mainly in those with ple ural effusion.