A new understanding of clinical patterns in post-TB lung disease

Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2024 Mar 1;28(3):115-121. doi: 10.5588/ijtld.23.0327.

Abstract

<sec id="st1"><title>BACKGROUND</title>Post-TB lung disease (PTLD) can be categorised based on physiological, radiological, and clinical abnormalities, delineating distinct clinical patterns; however, thus far the importance of this is unknown. People with PTLD have a high morbidity and increased mortality, but predictors of long-term outcomes are poorly understood.</sec><sec id="st2"><title>METHODS</title>We conducted an observational study of PTLD patients attending a tertiary hospital in South Africa between 1 October 2021 and 30 September 2022. Patient demographics, risk factors, symptoms, lung function tests and outcomes were captured.</sec><sec id="st3"><title>RESULTS</title>A total of 185 patients were included (mean age: 45.2 years, SD ±14.3). Half of patients reported only one previous episode of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection (n = 94, 50.8%). There was a statistically significant association between TB-associated obstructive lung disease (OLD) and dyspnoea (P = 0.002), chest pain (P = 0.014) and smoking (P = 0.005). There were significant associations between haemoptysis and both cavitation (P = 0.015) and fungal-associated disease (P < 0.001). Six patients (3.2%) died by study end.</sec><sec id="st4"><title>CONCLUSION</title>PTLD can affect young people even with only one previous episode of TB, and carries a high mortality rate. For the first time, clinical patterns have been shown to have meaningful differences; TB-related OLD is associated with dyspnoea, chest pain and smoking; while haemoptysis is associated with cavitary and fungal-associated disease.</sec>.

Publication types

  • Observational Study

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Chest Pain
  • Dyspnea / etiology
  • Hemoptysis / etiology
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Obstructive*
  • Middle Aged
  • Risk Factors
  • Tuberculosis* / diagnosis