A five-year review of tuberculosis mortality amongst hospitalised patients in Ile-Ife.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Death from tuberculosis (TB) is the longest recorded indicator of the TB epidemic in industrialised countries. This study aims at investigating into various factors associated with death in hospitalised patients with tuberculosis in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. METHODS: A retrospective study of all admissions into the medical wards, total number of deaths and number of cases of deaths due to TB during the period 1998-2000 was done. RESULTS: Tuberculosis represented 8% (268) of all admissions (n=3464). The overall hospital mortality during the period under review was 1030 (30%). Tuberculosis was responsible for 5% of all deaths while TB specific mortality was 18.3 percent. The highest mortality was observed among patients between the 3rd and 4th decade of life with a male to female ratio 1.3 1. About 70% of the patients died within a week of admission. Pulmonary TB was responsible for 69% of deaths followed by tuberculous meningitis (14%), retroviral illness (24%), anaemia (60%). Delayed presentation and diagnosis were identified as factors commonly associated with death rate. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed presentation and diagnosis were commonly associated with death. There is a need for more awareness among patients and health care providers about tuberculosis.