Changing trends in the clinical features of laryngeal tuberculosis: a report of 19 cases

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the changing trends in the clinical features of laryngeal tuberculosis, with the goal of reducing misdiagnosis and incorrect treatment. Methods: A retrospective clinical analysis compared the clinical patterns in five cases with pathologically confirmed laryngeal tuberculosis seen before 1990 with those of 14 cases of laryngeal tuberculosis seen after 1998. Results: The five patients seen before 1990 ranged in age from 19 to 41 years of age, with a mean of 32 years. The most frequent chief complaint was odynophagia accompanying system symptoms and pulmonary tuberculosis. The posterior part of the larynx was commonly involved and the lesions tended to be ulcerative and multiple. The 14 patients seen after 1998 were aged from 17 to 71 years with a mean age of 49.9 years. The most frequent chief complaint was hoarseness (71.4%). The most common lesion site was in the true vocal cords (57.2%). Most of patients with normal lung status had single, nonspecific, polypoid lesions. Stroboscopy revealed four different appearances. Conclusions: Laryngeal tuberculosis may occur even without pulmonary tuberculosis, and the characteristics of the lesions appear to be more nonspecific. It is important to consider tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis of laryngeal disease. (C) 2009 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.