Miliary tuberculosis and adult respiratory distress syndrome.

Three patients with miliary tuberculosis developed the adult respiratory distress syndrome. In two patients this complication developed despite treatment with antituberculous drugs. The third patient developed the syndrome, but miliary tuberculosis was not suspected. The presence of disseminated intravascular coagulation in all three cases suggests a possible pathophysiologic relation. Miliary tuberculosis should be considered in patients presenting with adult respiratory distress syndrome of unknown cause.