Pleural tuberculosis: experiences from two centers in Brazil

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to describe the clinical and laboratory findings of patients diagnosed with pleural tuberculosis at two hospitals in southern Brazil. METHODS: Patients aged < 18 years were evaluated retrospectively. The patients’ medical and epidemiological history, tuberculin skin test results, radiological and pathological findings, and pleural fluid analysis results were retrieved. RESULTS: Ninety-two patients with pleural tuberculosis were identified. The mean age was 10.9 years old. Twenty-one percent were children aged six years or less. The most common symptoms were fever (88%), cough (72%), and chest pain (70%). Unilateral pleural effusion was observed in 96% of the cases. Lymphocyte predominance was found in 90% of the pleural fluid samples. The adenosine deaminase activity of the pleural fluid was greater than 40 U/L in 85% of patients. A diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia with antibiotic prescriptions was observed in 76% of the study population. CONCLUSIONS: Tuberculosis etiology must be considered in unilateral pleural effusion in a child with contact with a case of tuberculosis. Pleural fluid biomarkers contribute to the diagnosis of pleural tuberculosis in children and adolescents.