A clinical study was made of 72 cases of military tuberculosis, seen at Kwang Ju Christian Hospital from January, 1970 to November, 1976. The following results were obtained.
1) Seventy-two cases of military tuberculosis were found among a total of 11, 218 pulmonary tuberculosis patients. This is 0.64% of all the cases.
2) Forty-three percents of patients were between 15 and 25 years old with the incidence decreasing as age increased.
3) Anorexia and general weakness were the main constitutional symptoms; coughing and dyspnea were the main respiratory symptoms.
4) The duration of illness before diagnosis was almost always less than 2 months.
5) Arty-eight percents were sputum positive, for tubercle bacilli.
6) On admission, military tuberculosis was most commonly confused with typhoid fever, acute hepatitis and acute glomerulonephritis.
7) Positive family history for tuberculosis was 17%.
8) On admission, almost all the patients had mild anemia, and elevated erythrocyte sedimentation. rate.
9) Tuberculin skin test was positive in 54% and patients who had negative skin tests were in the high mortality group.
10) The most common sites of concomitant extrapulmonary tuberculosis were the meninges, spine and other bone and joints.
11) The treatment regimens were INK SM, Rifampioin, and predisolone etc.
12) The number of patients followed up was 48; patients died of meningitis and one died of peritonitis.
13) Clinical improvement was usually seen after 2 months of treatment, and radiological improvement by 4 months.
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