Diagnosis, Treatment, and Outcomes of Presumed Ocular Tuberculosis Patients Attending Central Chest Clinic, Colombo

Aims: Main objective of this study was to describe the diagnosis, treatment, outcomes, and associated factors of presumed ocular tuberculosis patients attending Central Chest Clinic, Colombo.

Study Design, Place and Duration: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted among all ocular tuberculosis patients referred to Central Chest Clinic, Colombo for treatment from 1st of January 2016 to 31st June 2018.

Methodology: Pretested content validated secondary data extraction form was used. Socio-demographic and work-related characteristics were analysed using frequency distributions. Association between socio-demographic characteristics and factors associated with diagnosis, treatment and outcomes were analysed using Fisher-extract test.

Results: Among study respondents, 52.6% showed abnormal ESR finding (>20mm), 17.8% displayed Chest X-ray abnormalities and 89.5% reported positive Tuberculin skin test (>14mm in diameter). Uveitis was the most common diagnosis (87.9%). Among Uveitis patients, 36.5% presented with posterior uveitis. Out of all ocular TB patients who have completed the treatment, 77.6% reported improvement of vision following the anti-TB treatment regimen. Duration of the treatment with anti-TB drugs was similar across all types of ocular diseases among Ocular TB patients (p=0.590).

Conclusions: Large number of patients received treatment for 6 months with majority reported as improved vision on completion of treatment. Further prospective studies using primary data need to be conducted to have greater insight of the ocular tuberculosis in Sri Lanka.