Urinary tuberculosis: a cohort of 79 adult cases

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographic characteristics, history for tuberculosis, comorbid diseases and usage of immunosuppressive drugs in patients with UTB.

Characteristics	Patients (%) (n = 79)
Age (years)	50.1 ± 17.4 (range: 18–87 years)
Gender (female/male)	40 (50.6)/39 (49.4)
Type of residency (urban/rural)	72 (91.1)/7 (8.9)
Educational status (elementary school/  high school/university)	43 (54.4)/25 (31.6)/11 (13.9)
Smoking	17 (21.5)
Alcohol use	5 (6.3)
History for tuberculosis	14 (17.7)
Family history for tuberculosis	9 (11.4)
Hypertension	31 (39.2)
Chronic renal failure	17 (21.5)
Diabetes mellitus	11 (13.9)
Renal and urinary tract calculus	10 (12.6)
Immunosuppressive drug use^a	5 (6.3)
Malignancy^b	4 (5.0)

Notes: ^aPrednisolone in three patients; prednisolone, methotrexate and infliximab in one patient and infliximab in one patient.

^bBladder cancer in two patients, prostate cancer in one patient and breast cancer in one patient.

Table 2. Symptoms and findings in the patients with UTB.

Symptoms	Number of patients (%) (n = 79)
Dysuria	41 (51.9)
Weakness	41 (51.9)
Fever	34 (43.0)
Macroscopic hematuria	31 (39.2)
Loin/abdominal pain	29 (36.7)/3 (3.7)
Pollakiuria/nocturia	25 (31.6)/20 (25.3)
Anorexia/weight loss	25 (31.6)/19 (24.1)
Sweating	3 (3.7)
Others	11 (13.9)
Physical examination
Costovertebral angle tenderness	30 (38.0)
Hypertension^a	23 (29.1)
Axillary temperature (°C) > 37.2	19 (24.0)
Radial pulse (min^−1) > 100	13 (16.4)
Body mass index (kg/m^2) > 30	12 (15.1)
Peripheral lymphadenopathy	5 (6.3)
Body mass index (kg/m^2 ) < 20	4 (5.0)
Urinalysis
Hematuria	63 (79.7%)
Acidic urine	60 (75.9%)
Sterile pyuria	53 (67.1%)
Proteinuria	30 (38.0%)
Proteinuria mg/day (mean ± SD)	496.2 ± 912.3
Positive urine culture for usual pathogens	19 (24.0%)
Glycosuria	6 (7.6%)
Laboratory findings
ESR (mm/h) > 15 in males, > 20 in females	64 (81.0)
CRP (mg/L) > 5.0	62 (78.4)
Hb (g/dL) < 13.8 in males, < 12 in females	38 (48.1)
Serum albumin (g/dL) < 3.5	33 (41.7)
GFR (mL/min) < 60	26 (32.9)
WBC count (mm^−3) > 10 000	9 (11.3)
Serum calcium (mg/dL) > 10.2	8 (10.1)

Notes: GFR: glomerular filtration rate, CRP: C-reactive protein, ESR: erythrocyte sedimentation rate, Hb: hemoglobin, WBC: white blood cell.

^aHypertension, systolic blood pressure (mmHg) ≥ 140 and/or diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) ≥ 90.

Table 3. Rates of abnormal imaging findings in the patients with UTB.

Imaging modality	Total no. (%)^a	Pathologic finding (%) n (%)
Direct urinary tract radiography	79 (100)	12 (15.1)
Intravenous pyelography	11 (13.9)	8 (72.7)
Ultrasonography	74 (93.6)	43 (58.1)
Computed tomography	28 (35.4)	26 (92.8)
Magnetic resonance	4 (5.0)	4 (100)
Scintigraphy	10 (12.6)	10 (100)
Chest radiography	79 (100)	9 (11.3)^b

Notes: ^aPercentage of patients using relevant imaging techniques.

^bActive pulmonary TB in four patients, and old healed TB in five patients.

Figure 1. Distribution of diagnostic groups (n = 79).

Figure 2. Renal outcomes, n (%).

Table 4. Treatment characteristics of the patients with UTB.

Characteristics	Patients (n = 79) (%)
INH + RIF + PZA + EMB	69 (87.3)
INH + RIF + PZA	10 (12.7)
Mean treatment duration  (months ± SD)	10.5 ± 2.7 (range: 6–24 months)
Surgical intervention^a	18 (22.7)
Hospitalization duration (days)	23.0 ± 22.5
Drug side effects^b	10 (12.6)

Notes: INH: isoniazid, RIF: rifampicin, PZA: pyrazinamide, EMB: ethambutol.

^aNephrectomy in 12 patients, renal abscess drainage in two patients and double j stent placement in four patients.

^bElevation of AST/ALT levels in nine patients, thrombocytopenia in one patient.