Severe gastrintestinal bleeding as an unusual presentation of pediatric tuberculosis: a situation for injectable antituberculous drugs use?

Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo. 2020 Oct 30:62:e78. doi: 10.1590/S1678-9946202062078. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Disseminated tuberculosis is a severe disease with high-mortality that requires early diagnosis and treatment. Intestinal tuberculosis accounts for only 2% of tuberculosis cases worldwide and is extremely rare in children. We report a case of a 4-year-old girl admitted due to disseminated tuberculosis with extensive intestinal involvement characterized by massive intestinal bleeding and hemorrhagic shock. The severity of the intestinal involvement precluded the exclusive use of oral anti-tuberculosis drugs and the patient was successfully treated with a combination of injectable and oral anti-tuberculosis agents. We discuss the importance of a regimen with injectable drugs for treating severe forms of tuberculosis in which the intestinal involvement impaired the use of oral drugs.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Child, Preschool
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations
  • Tuberculosis* / drug therapy

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Pharmaceutical Preparations