Impaired pulmonary function and the risk of tuberculosis: a population-based cohort study

Impaired pulmonary function and associated factors in the elderly with tuberculosis on admission: a preliminary report

BACKGROUND

Pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) can impair pulmonary function (PF), especially in the elderly. The risk factors associated with the severity of PF impairment in the elderly with pulmonary TB remain unclear. Hence, this retrospective study aimed to address this issue to help improve the management of TB in the elderly population.

METHODS

From January 2019 to February 2022, the elderly who were admitted to our hospital for pulmonary TB and underwent PF testing were included in this analysis. The forced expiratory volume in one second percent of predicted (FEV1% predicted) and clinical characteristics were collected and analyzed retrospectively. The extent of impaired PF was then categorized based on the FEV1% predicted and classified as grade 1-5. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the risk factors for impaired PF.

RESULTS

A total of 249 patients who met the enrollment criteria were included in this analysis. According to the results of FEV1% predicted, all patients were classified as grade 1 (n = 37), grade 2 (n = 46), grade 3 (n = 55), grade 4 (n = 56), or grade 5 (n = 55). Statistical analysis showed that albumin (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) = 0.928, P = 0.013), body mass index (BMI) < 18.5 kg/m² (aOR = 4.968, P = 0.046), lesion number ≥ 3 (aOR = 4.229, P < 0.001), male (aOR = 2.252, P = 0.009), respiratory disease (aOR = 1.669, P = 0.046), and cardiovascular disease (aOR = 2.489, P = 0.027) were related to the impairment of PF.

CONCLUSIONS

PF impairment is common in the elderly with pulmonary TB. The male sex, BMI < 18.5 kg/m², lesion number ≥ 3, hypoproteinemia, and respiratory and cardiovascular comorbidities were identified as risk factors for significant PF impairment. Our findings highlight the risk factors associated with PF impairment, which may be helpful to improve the current management of pulmonary TB in the elderly to save their lung function.

The Long-Term Impact of Early-Life Tuberculosis Disease on Child Health: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study

Rationale: There is growing concern that post-tuberculosis disease (TB) sequelae and morbidity are substantial, but no studies have controlled for preexisting factors before disease. Whether children have post-TB morbidity is not well characterized. Objectives: To assess the effect of a TB diagnosis on wheezing episodes, lung function, and anthropometric measurements among children enrolled in a prospective birth cohort study in South Africa. Methods: We prospectively followed children from birth through 5 years for TB using diagnostic tests including chest radiography and repeated induced sputum sample testing with Xpert MTB/RIF and liquid culture. We longitudinally measured health outcomes including growth, wheezing, and lung function up to 5 years. Mixed-effects linear regression models were used to assess growth and lung function after TB. Poisson regression was used to assess risk of subsequent wheezing. Measurements and Main Results: Among 1,068 participants, 96 TB cases occurred (1,228 cases per 100,000 person-years [95% confidence interval (CI), 1,006-1,500]) occurred over 7,815 child-years of follow-up. TB was associated with lower length-for-age (-0.40 [95% CI, -0.68 to -0.11]), weight-for-age (-0.30 [95% CI, -0.59 to -0.01]), and body mass index (-0.54 [95% CI, -0.83 to -0.25]) z-scores at 5 years. Children developing TB were consistently more likely to wheeze regardless of the timing of TB. Children with diagnoses of TB between 0 and 1 year of age had reduced time to peak tidal expiratory flow over total expiratory time (-2.35% [95% CI, -4.86% to -0.17%]) and higher fractional exhaled nitric oxide (2.88 ppb [95% CI, 0.57-5.19 ppb]) at 5 years. Children with diagnoses of TB between 1 and 4 years of age had impaired Vt (-9.32 ml [95% CI, -14.89 to -3.75 ml]) and time to peak tidal expiratory flow over total expiratory time (-2.73% [95% CI, -5.45% to -0.01%]) at 5 years. Conclusions: Prevention of TB disease in the first few years of life may have substantial long-term benefits through childhood.

Risk factors for drug-resistant tuberculosis, the association between comorbidity status and drug-resistant patterns: a retrospective study of previously treated pulmonary tuberculosis in Shandong, China, during 2004-2019

OBJECTIVE

This study was designed to identify the risk factors for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and the association between comorbidity and drug resistance among retreated pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).

DESIGN

A retrospective study was conducted among all the 36 monitoring sites in Shandong, China, over a 16-year period. Baseline characteristics were collected from the TB Surveillance System. Categorical variables were compared by Fisher's exact or Pearson's χ² test. The risk factors for drug resistance were identified using univariable analysis and multivariable logistic models. The influence of comorbidity on different types of drug resistance was evaluated by performing multivariable logistic models with the covariates adjusted by age, sex, body mass index, drinking/smoking history and cavity.

RESULTS

A total of 10 975 patients with PTB were recorded during 2004-2019, and of these 1924 retreated PTB were finally included. Among retreated PTB, 26.2% were DR-TB and 12.5% had comorbidity. Smoking (adjusted OR (aOR): 1.69, 95% CI 1.19 to 2.39), cavity (aOR: 1.55, 95% CI 1.22 to 1.97) and comorbidity (aOR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.02) were risk factors for DR-TB. Of 504 DR-TB, 9.5% had diabetes mellitus, followed by hypertension (2.0%) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (1.8%). Patients with retreated PTB with comorbidity were more likely to be older, have more bad habits (smoking, alcohol abuse) and have clinical symptoms (expectoration, haemoptysis, weight loss). Comorbidity was significantly associated with DR-TB (aOR: 1.44, 95% CI 1.02 to 2.02), overall rifampin resistance (aOR: 2.17, 95% CI 1.41 to 3.36), overall streptomycin resistance (aOR: 1.51, 95% CI 1.00 to 2.27) and multidrug resistance (aOR: 1.96, 95% CI 1.17 to 3.27) compared with pan-susceptible patients (p<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Smoking, cavity and comorbidity lead to an increased risk of drug resistance among retreated PTB. Strategies to improve the host's health, including smoking cessation, screening and treatment of comorbidity, might contribute to the control of tuberculosis, especially DR-TB, in China.

Primary Drug-Resistance Pattern and Trend in Elderly Tuberculosis Patients in Shandong, China, from 2004 to 2019

BACKGROUND

With an aging population, China is facing a huge burden of elderly patients with drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB), which has become a significant obstacle for the global TB control. There is still little study on DR-TB in the elderly in China so far. Thus, more research on the epidemiological characteristics and trend of primary DR-TB among the elderly will be necessary.

METHODS

A retrospective study was conducted in Shandong, China from 2004 to 2019. We collected 12,661 primary TB cases, of which 4368 elderly (≥60 years) primary TB cases were involved. Clinical characteristics including age, sex, cavity, smoking, drinking, comorbidity and drug susceptibility data were collected from 36 TB prevention and control institutions of Shandong Province. Sputum samples were collected by each surveillance site, and examined in the TB Reference Laboratory of SPCH. Descriptive statistical analysis, chi-square and linear regression were used for analyzing.

RESULTS

Among 4368 elderly patients with primary TB, the DR-TB and multi-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) accounted for 17.19% and 2.29%, respectively. During 2004-2019, the proportions of MDR-TB, polydrug resistant tuberculosis (PDR-TB), rifampin (RFP)-resistance increased by 160.00%, 18.18%, 231.82%, respectively and the rate of DR-TB among elderly patients with primary cavitary TB increased by 255%. Among the elderly with primary DR-TB during 2004-2019, the proportion of male (from 85.19 to 89.06), cavity (from 7.41 to 46.88), RFP-resistance (from 3.70 to 21.88), and streptomycin (SM)-resistance (from 37.04 to 62.5) increased significantly (P<0.05). And the proportion of female (from 14.81 to 10.94), non-cavity (from 92.59 to 32.81), INH-resistance (from 66.67 to 57.81) decreased significantly (P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Among the elderly, the proportions of MDR-TB, PDR-TB, RFP-resistance and cavitary DR-TB increased significantly. The pattern of DR-TB changed from female, non-cavity and INH-resistant groups to male, cavity, RFP or SM-resistant groups. For a better control on the elderly DR-TB in the future, we should pay more attention to male, smoking, drinking, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and diabetes subgroups and take targeted measures to control these subgroups.

Impaired pulmonary function after treatment for tuberculosis: the end of the disease?

Objective:

To evaluate the prevalence of pulmonary function abnormalities and to investigate the factors affecting lung function in patients treated for pulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods:

A total of 214 consecutive patients (132 men and 82 women; 20-82 years of age), treated for pulmonary tuberculosis and followed at a local dispensary, underwent spirometry and plethysmography at least one year after treatment.

Results:

Pulmonary impairment was present in 102 (47.7%) of the 214 patients evaluated. The most common functional alteration was obstructive lung disease (seen in 34.6%). Of the 214 patients, 60 (28.0%) showed reduced pulmonary function (FEV₁ below the lower limit of normal). Risk factors for reduced pulmonary function were having had culture-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in the past, being over 50 years of age, having recurrent tuberculosis, and having a lower level of education.

Conclusions:

Nearly half of all tuberculosis patients evolve to impaired pulmonary function. That underscores the need for pulmonary function testing after the end of treatment.

Alcohol consumption as a risk factor for tuberculosis: meta-analyses and burden of disease

Meta-analyses of alcohol use, alcohol dosage and alcohol-related problems as risk factors for tuberculosis incidence were undertaken. The global alcohol-attributable tuberculosis burden of disease was also re-estimated.Systematic searches were conducted, reference lists were reviewed and expert consultations were held to identify studies. Cohort and case-control studies were included if there were no temporal violations of exposure and outcome. Risk relations (RRs) were pooled by using categorical and dose-response meta-analyses. The alcohol-attributable tuberculosis burden of disease was estimated by using alcohol-attributable fractions.36 of 1108 studies were included. RRs for alcohol use and alcohol-related problems were 1.35 (95% CI 1.09-1.68; I2: 83%) and 3.33 (95% CI 2.14-5.19; 87%), respectively. Concerning alcohol dosage, tuberculosis risk rose as ethanol intake increased, with evidence of a threshold effect. Alcohol consumption caused 22.02 incident cases (95% CI 19.70-40.77) and 2.35 deaths (95% CI 2.05-4.79) per 100 000 people from tuberculosis in 2014. Alcohol-attributable tuberculosis incidence increased between 2000 and 2014 in most high tuberculosis burden countries, whereas mortality decreased.Alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of tuberculosis in all meta-analyses. It was consequently a major contributor to the tuberculosis burden of disease.