Extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in Lothian 1980-1989: ethnic status and delay from onset of symptoms to diagnosis.

We have retrospectively determined the incidence and delay in diagnosing extrapulmonary tuberculosis (ETB) by ethnic group in Lothian, Scotland, from 1980-1989. One hundred and sixteen (13.3%) of 874 TB notifications were for ETB. Eighty-seven records were available for analysis: 59 with a mean age of 57.9 years (range 10-90) were Caucasian (C) and 28 with a mean age of 30.3 years (range 10-86) were non-Caucasian (NC). There were 42 cases of lymphatic TB; 23 (7M,16F) with a mean age of 62 years (range 10-82) were C and 19 (14M,5F) with a mean age of 29 years (range 10-60) were NC. Lymphatic TB was a significantly commoner ETB site in NC (67.9%) cf C (39%) (P < 0.01). Of 24 cases of genito-urinary TB, 23 (14M,9F) with a mean age of 54 years (range 24-82) were C compared to one NC male aged 29 years. Genito-urinary TB was a significantly commoner ETB site in C (39%) cf NC (3.6%) (P < 0.001). Bone and joint TB was found in 11 (5M,6F) C with a mean age of 55 years (range 28-86) compared to five (3M,2F) NC with a mean age of 36 years (4-47). Five cases of abdominal TB (2C,3NC) were also identified. Delay from onset of symptoms to diagnosis for lymphatic TB was significantly longer for NC (mean 26 weeks, range 0-156) than for C (mean 9 weeks, range 2-28) (P < 0.02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)