PREVALENCE, DISTRIBUTION AND DETERMINANTS OF INTESTINAL TUBERCULOSIS IN ADULT INDOOR PATIENTS WITH ACUTE SMALL INTESTINAL OBSTRUCTION IN POPULATION OF PESHAWAR DIVISION, PAKISTAN

Background: Acute small intestinal obstruction (ASIO) is one of the commonest causes of emergency hospital admissions, morbidity and mortality. Intestinal tuberculosis (ITB) is common cause of ASIO in developing countries leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Our objectives were to determine prevalence, distribution and determinants of ITB in adult indoor patients with ASIO in population of Peshawar Division, Pakistan. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at Department of Surgery Peshawar Medical College, Peshawar, Pakistan from January 2019 to June 2020. The data was collected from its three affiliated hospitals; Mercy Teaching Hospital, Kuwait Teaching Hospital & Prime Teaching Hospital, Peshawar. 207 ASIO subjects were selected from population at risk consecutively. Sex, age groups and presence of ITB were variables. Prevalence and distribution were described by count, percentage and confidence intervals for proportion for population. Hypotheses for distribution were tested by chi-square goodness of fit and of association by chi-square test of association. Results: Out of 207 patients with ASIO, 128 (61.84%) were men and 79 (38.16%) women, 87 (42.03%) were in age group 18-40 and 120 (57.97%) in 41-60 years. Out of 207 patients with ASIO, 41 (19.81%) had ITB, while 166 (80.19%) had no ITB. Out of 41 ITB patients, 25 (12.08%) were men and 16 (7.73%) women, 17 (8.21%) in age group 18-40 and 24 (11.60%) in 41-60 years. The prevalence of ITB was similar to expected (p=.5695). The distribution across sex (p=.00001) was different and across age groups (p=.12501) was similar to expected. Presence of ITB was not associated to sex (p=.8992) and age groups (p=.9347). Conclusion: Prevalence of intestinal TB in adult indoor acute small intestinal obstruction (ASIO) population of Peshawar Division, Pakistan was 19.81%. Prevalence was higher in men than women and higher in 41-60 years than 18-40 years age group population. Overall prevalence of intestinal TB was similar to expected. Observed distribution across sex was different and across age groups was similar to expected. Presence of intestinal TB was not associated to sex and age groups respectively.