Chylothorax in a child with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis
McLaren B, Song X, Mate E, Jardine C, Mabaso T, Mammen V, Lala S, Dangor Z, et al. (9 authors)
African journal of thoracic and critical care medicine · 2019-09
Abstract
Chylothorax is rare in children. Only a few cases of tuberculosis (TB)-associated chylothorax have been reported. We present a child on standard four-drug TB treatment who presented with wheezing and a chylothorax. Bronchoscopy showed caseating lymph nodes, and rifampicin-resistant TB was identified from the bronchoalveolar lavage specimen. There was marked clinical and radiological improvement 1 month after starting multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB treatment and steroids. The association of chylothorax and MDR-TB has not been described in children. MDR-TB should be considered in children who fail adherent, empirically started drug-susceptible TB treatment.