Apesar da tuberculose ser uma doença curável, assistimos com alguma frequência à morte de doentes internndos no departamento de Pneumologia do Hospital de Pulido Valente com esta afecção. Resolvemos analisar a causa de morte de 26 doeontes internados nos anos de 1993 e 1994.

Procurouse analisar·as presumiveis causas de morte destes 26 doentes, predomínantemente do sexo masculino (88%), raça caucasiana (81 %) com idade média de 54,4 anos. Salientamos que 50% tinham hábitos alcoólicos e história prévia de tuberculose. Tinham patologia associada 42%, sendo a DPOC a mais frequente. Tinham seropositividade para o VIH 41,6%, donça disseminada 54% e atingimento radiológico do tórax muito extenso 62%. Qnanto às causas de morte, em 10 doentes encontrámos outras causas que não a tuberculose e tm 16 foi accite o tuberculose. Entre estes, Seram seropositivus, 6 tinham doença disseminda, 4 tinham formas muito extensas e 3 idade superior a 75 anos. Um doente faleceu com uma hemoptise fulminante.

Salientamos que o elevado númcro de falecidus com hábitos alcoó1icos e de toxicofilia, poderiam justificar·uma menor adesão an tratameuto e dai uma maior mortalidade. A morte por tuberculose foi mais frequente entre as formas mals extensas e as formas disseminadas.

Although tuberculosis is a curable disease, some patients still died from it. We analysed the cause of death 26 patients who died with tuberculosis in our Department.

Male (88%) and caucasian (81 %) with a mean age of 54.4years old were the most frequent patients in our review. Fifty Percent were alcoholic and bad a previous history of tuberculosis. 42% patients had associated disease, predominantly COPD. HIV seropositivity existed in 41.6%, disseminated disease in 54% and 62% had a very extense pulmonary tuberculosis. Among causes of death, in 10 patients it was due to other causes and in 16 tuberculosis was admitted as the cause of death: 5 patients were HIV positive, 6 had disseminated disease, 4 had radiologically very extensive and 3 patients had more than 75 years old.

Among our patients there was great number of alcoholic and drug-abusers probably without treatment compliance justifying the high mortality. Mortality was greater among disseminated tuberculsis patients and patients with very extensive pulmonary tuberculosis.