Overview
Gastrointestinal (GI) tuberculosis (TB) is a form of abdominal TB that can lead to strictures, significantly impacting clinical presentation and morbidity 1. Antitubercular therapy (ATT) is the primary treatment, with a substantial proportion of patients experiencing clinical response and stricture resolution 1.Diagnosis
Stricturing GI TB occurs in approximately 25 percent of patients with GI TB 1.
Diagnosis is based on clinical presentation, imaging, and microbiological or histological confirmation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis* 1.Management
Antitubercular therapy (ATT) is the mainstay of treatment 1.
Approximately two-thirds of patients with stricturing GI TB show a clinical response to ATT 1.
A subset of patients may require endoscopic or surgical intervention for strictures 1.Key Recommendations
Antitubercular therapy (ATT) should be administered for stricturing gastrointestinal tuberculosis 1.
Clinical response to ATT is expected in approximately two-thirds of patients with stricturing GI TB 1.
Endoscopic or surgical intervention may be necessary for a subset of patients with stricturing GI TB 1.
(Evidence: Moderate)References
1 Jena A, Mohindra R, Rana K, Neelam PB, Thakur DC, Singh H et al.. Frequency, outcomes, and need for intervention in stricturing gastrointestinal tuberculosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis. BMC gastroenterology 2023. link