We examined the incidence rate and prognosis of tuberculosis in a cohort of patients with liver
cirrhosis in Denmark. In a study cohort of 22675 patients with liver cirrhosis, we identified 151
cases of tuberculosis from 1977 to 1993. The incidence rate was 168·6 per 100000 person-years
of risk, and the highest incidence rate was among men above 65 years of age, with an
incidence rate of 246·0 per 100000 person-years of risk. The 30-day case-fatality rate was
27·3% and the 1-year case fatality rate was 47·7%. The results demonstrate that patients with
liver cirrhosis are at increased risk of tuberculosis. Additionally, it is suggested that liver
cirrhosis is an independent risk factor for tuberculosis, and that patients with liver cirrhosis
who acquire tuberculosis have a poor prognosis.