CLINICAL PROFILE OF TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS (PULMONARY AND EXTRA-PULMONARY) PRESENTING TO A TERTIARY CARE HOSPITAL

Objective: The objective of the study is to estimate the burden of tuberculosis (TB) patients, both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary, presenting to a tertiary care hospital in southern Rajasthan and to understand the resistance pattern among them. Methods: It is a retrospective observational study. The duration of the study was 3 years (January 2021–December 2023). Data were collected from TB registers maintained by the respiratory medicine department. The inclusion criteria were all suspected TB patients (pulmonary and extra-pulmonary). Both microbiologically confirmed and clinically diagnosed TB patients were included in the study. Results: The total number of sputum samples received of suspected pulmonary TB patients was 1923, out of which 600 (31.2%) were acid–fast bacilli (AFB) smear positive. The total number of samples received for CBNAAT testing was 1292, out of which 266 (20.59%) were CBNAAT positive. Total multidrug-resistant (MDR) TB patients were 58 (49 pulmonary TB and 9 extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) [5 lymph, 3 pleural, and 1 bone]). The percentage of MDR-pulmonary TB patients among total sputum samples tested was 2.55%. The total number of pulmonary TB patients diagnosed was 1016 (microbiologically confirmed 866 + clinically diagnosed 150). Total EPTB patients diagnosed were 805 (microbiologically confirmed 141 + clinically diagnosed 664). Conclusion: 31.2% of total sputum samples tested of suspected pulmonary TB patients were AFB smear positive, and 20.59% were CBNAAT positive. Most of the patients diagnosed with EPTB were diagnosed on a clincoradiological basis. The percentage of MDR–PTB among all sputum samples tested was 2.55%.