Tuberculous pericardial effusion associated with HIV infection: a sign of disseminated disease

Abstract

Objective: To determine whether tuberculous pericardial effusion is associated with HIV infection. Design: Retrospective cohort study. Setting: Harare, Zimbabwe. Subjects: 61 consecutive patients presenting with tuberculous pericarditis over an 18 month period. Results: Tuberculous pericarditis was significantly associated with HIV seropositivity (odds ratio [OR] 2.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.4−4.3, P = 0.001). The combination of tuberculous pericarditis and tuberculosis at another clinically obvious site (disseminated disease) was more common than pericarditis alone, and was significantly associated with HIV seropositivity (OR 6.1, CI 1.5−25, P = 0.007). Patients with disseminated disease were usually in CDC stage IV prior to the diagnosis of their tuberculosis.