From: Ultrasound in managing extrapulmonary tuberculosis: a randomized controlled two-center study
Inclusion criteria | - Adult (≥18 years) - Documented HIV status (HIV- positive and HIV- negative) - Suspected extrapulmonary tuberculosis*: presence of ≥1 sign or symptom of the following: • Fever of any duration, • Night sweat during 3 weeks within the last 4 weeks • Weight loss AND presence of ≥1 sign or symptom of the following: • Nuchal, cervical, axillary or generalized lymphadenopathy • Abdominal pain or ascites • Neurological symptoms (reduced consciousness, confusion, stiff neck, focal signs, persisting headache) • Presence of severe anaemia (hemoglobin < 8 g/dl) in an HIV infected patient under antiretroviral treatment • Local pain and spinal deformity, or arthritis suggesting spinal or osteoarticular tuberculosis • Painless hematuria or sterile pyuria, scrotal nodules or epididymal Hardening, or salpingitis suggesting urogenital tuberculosis • Chest x-ray with signs of miliary pattern, pleural effusion or suspected pericardial effusion AND No other obvious explanation for these signs * with or without concomitant signs of pulmonary tuberculosis (i.e cough or chest x-ray with upper lobe infiltrate, cavernous lesion) |
Exclusion criteria | - Pregnancy |
- Patients already on anti-tuberculosis treatment | |
- Refusal to participate or sign informed consent | |
- Not available for follow-up visits |