Comparison of clinical and laboratory profile of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis in children: A single-center experience from India

BACKGROUND: Pediatric tuberculosis (TB) is an indicator of the recent transmission of TB in the community. However, the diagnosis of pediatric TB poses a challenge to clinicians. AIMS: We aimed to evaluate and compare the clinical and laboratory profile of pulmonary TB (PTB) and extra PTB (EPTB) in children and adolescents. METHODS: In this retrospective observational study, children attending the pediatric TB clinic of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Rishikesh, from August 2015 to July 2017 were included in the study. The medical case records of patients were reviewed for demography, clinical findings, investigations, and diagnosis. The clinical and laboratory characteristics of patients with PTB and EPTB were compared. RESULTS: A total of 58 children included. Out of which, 33 (56.9%) had PTB, and 25 (43.1%) had EPTB. The EPTB cases included 15 (60%) pleural TB, 9 (36%) lymph node TB, and 1 (4%) TB meningitis patient. Fever, cough, and weight loss were the most common symptoms. Hilar lymphadenopathy was the most common radiological abnormality. Microbiological confirmation was possible in 54.5% of patients with PTB. Cough (aOR 70.326; 95% CI: 5.370–921.032) and microbiological confirmation (aOR 46.011; 95% CI: 2.073–1021.201) were more in PTB as compared to EPTB. CONCLUSIONS: PTB and EPTB are common in children and adolescents. The typical clinical manifestations and positive microbiological confirmation are less common in EPTB than PTB. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: TB is one of the common communicable diseases in the developing world. Diagnosis of TB in children is often challenging. Our study results help in better understanding childhood TB and EPTB clinical features and have potential to increase diagnostic yield.