Abstract

To study the differences of presentation pulmonary tuberculosis related with age. This study is a retrospective as case-control match in one hundred patients with pulmonary tuberculosis in Iran for five years. All patients had pulmonary tuberculosis divided in two group, younger (age<50) as control and older (age≥50) as case group. Data was collected included; clinical presentation and radiology manifestation. Data were analyzed with chi-square and student's t test and p<0.05 levels were significant. In here showed that 46 patients in control (mean age 28.6±6.8) and 54 patients in case (mean age was 67.5±8) were evaluated. In case group fever and cough were less than control (p<0.005). Fibrosis was more (p<0.005) and miliary was less in case group than control group (p<0.01). In conclusion, absence of fever and cough and increase of fibrosis should not be delayed diagnosis of pulmonary tuberculosis in elderly and physicians need to have a high level suspicion of unusual manifestation of tuberculosis in elderly patients.