Comparison of clinical manifestations and treatment outcome according to age groups in adult patients with miliary tuberculosis

Miliary tuberculosis (TB) results from massive lymphohematogenous dissemination of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) during both primary and post-primary TB (1,2). After the introduction of chemotherapy, this disease has been more prevalent in middle-aged and older individuals than in children and young adults (3-5). With advances in medicine, anti-TB drugs since the 1970s are more effective and early diagnosis of miliary TB is more feasible by chest computed tomography (CT) (6-8). In contrast, elderly population with underlying diseases, who is more susceptible to TB or death, is gradually increasing