Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Older Adults: Increased Mortality Related to Tuberculosis Within Two Months of Treatment Initiation

Treatment success rate and associated factors among drug susceptible tuberculosis individuals in St. Kizito Hospital, Matany, Napak district, Karamoja region. A retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Tuberculosis (TB) is the leading cause of death among infectious agents globally. An estimated 10 million people are newly diagnosed and 1.5 million die of the disease annually. Uganda is among the 30 high TB-burdenedd countries, with Karamoja having a significant contribution of the disease incidence in the country. Control of the disease in Karamoja is complex because a majority of the at-risk population remain mobile; partly because of the nomadic lifestyle. This study, therefore, aimed at describing the factors associated with drug-susceptible TB treatment success rate (TSR) in the Karamoja region.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study on case notes of all individuals diagnosed with and treated for drug-susceptible TB at St. Kizito Hospital Matany, Napak district, Karamoja from 1st Jan 2020 to 31st December 2021. Data were abstracted using a customised data abstraction tool. Data analyses were done using Stata statistical software, version 15.0. Chi-square test was conducted to compare treatment success rates between years 2020 and 2021, while Modified Poisson regression analysis was performed at multivariable level to determine the factors associated with treatment success.

RESULTS

We studied records of 1234 participants whose median age was 31 (IQR: 13-49) years. Children below 15 years of age accounted for 26.2% (n = 323). The overall treatment success rate for the study period was 79.3%(95%CI; 77.0%-81.5%), with a statistically significant variation in 2020 and 2021, 75.4% (422/560) vs 82.4% (557/674) respectively, (P = 0.002). The commonest reported treatment outcome was treatment completion at 52%(n = 647) and death was at 10.4% (n = 129). Older age, undernutrition (Red MUAC), and HIV-positive status were significantly associated with lower treatment success: aPR = 0.87(95%CI; 0.80-0.94), aPR = 0.91 (95%CI; 0.85-0.98) and aPR = 0.88 (95%CI; 0.78-0.98); respectively. Patients who were enrolled in 2021 had a high prevalence of treatment success compared to those enrolled in 2020, aPR = 1.09 (95%CI; 1.03-1.16).

CONCLUSION

TB TSR in Matany Hospital was suboptimal. Older age, poor nutrition, and being HIV-positive were negative predictors of treatment success. We propose integrating nutrition and HIV care into TB programming to improve treatment success.

A Study on Risk Factors for Readmission of Elderly Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis Within One Month Using Propensity Score Matching Method

Objective

Exploring the risk factors for readmission of elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) within one month using the propensity score matching(PSM).

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of elderly patients with PTB who were admitted to the Tuberculosis Department of Lishui Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine from January 2020 to October 2023. The patients were divided into two groups: non-readmission group and readmission group based on whether they were readmitted within one month after discharge. The PSM method was used to match the baseline data of the two groups of patients, and multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to explore the risk factors for readmission of elderly patients with PTB within one month after discharge.

Results

A total of 1268 hospitalized elderly patients with PTB were included in the study, comprising 977 readmitted patients and 291 newly admitted patients (22.95%). Using the PSM, 288 pairs of patients were successfully matched. Following matching, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of gender, age, occupation, body mass index(BMI), past medical history, etc. (all P>0.05). Multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that infection, drug-induced liver injury(DILI), acute heart failure(AHF), chronic kidney disease(CKD), and extrapulmonary tuberculosis(EPTB) were all identified as risk factors for readmission of elderly patients with PTB.

Conclusion

After controlling for confounding factors through PSM, the study revealed that infection, DILI, AHF, CKD, and EPTB are risk factors for readmission among elderly patients with PTB, highlighting the need for early intervention.

The Impact of Immune System Aging on Infectious Diseases

Immune system aging is becoming a field of increasing public health interest because of prolonged life expectancy, which is not paralleled by an increase in health expectancy. As age progresses, innate and adaptive immune systems undergo changes, which are defined, respectively, as inflammaging and immune senescence. A wealth of available data demonstrates that these two conditions are closely linked, leading to a greater vulnerability of elderly subjects to viral, bacterial, and opportunistic infections as well as lower post-vaccination protection. To face this novel scenario, an in-depth assessment of the immune players involved in this changing epidemiology is demanded regarding the individual and concerted involvement of immune cells and mediators within endogenous and exogenous factors and co-morbidities. This review provides an overall updated description of the changes affecting the aging immune system, which may be of help in understanding the underlying mechanisms associated with the main age-associated infectious diseases.

Treatment patterns and drug survival for generalized pustular psoriasis: A patient journey study using a Japanese claims database

Generalized pustular psoriasis (GPP) is a potentially life-threatening skin disease. Although several medications are approved for treating GPP in Japan, there are limited data on real-world treatment patterns or drug survival (the number of prescribed days of treatment). This retrospective cohort study describes drug survival and treatment patterns of patients with newly diagnosed GPP (International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision code L40.1), and ≥1 year of follow-up, using de-identified claims data (Medical Data Vision Co., Ltd.) from January 2016 to August 2021. Most (97.0%) of the 434 Japanese patients received first-line therapy of etretinate (26.4%), topical medications (14.7%), or cyclosporin (14.3%); 80.0% and 60.1% of patients received a second and third line of therapy (LOT), respectively. Use of etretinate (12.6%) and cyclosporin (5.9%) decreased in second-line therapies, whereas use of biologics (interleukin [IL]-17, 14.3%; IL-23 inhibitors, 7.6%) and topical medications (22.1%) increased or remained consistent. Approximately 50% of biologics were prescribed in combination with systemic medications or systemic corticosteroids. Median (range) time to next therapy (TTNT) was 2.8 (0.03-48.07) months for first-line therapy and 3.3 (0.03-52.97) months for all other LOTs. TTNT was longer for combination therapies (up to 16.5 months) compared with monotherapies (up to 7.5 months). Biologics exhibited longer drug survival with fewer treatment episodes compared with non-biologic systemic medications. Among frequently used therapies, the median (95% confidence interval) drug survival was 8.8 (5.8-11.8) months for etretinate, 4.3 (2.2-6.9) months for systemic corticosteroids, and 19.6 (16.1-26.7) months for secukinumab. Treatment patterns varied considerably, highlighting the need for treatment algorithms and effective, well-tolerated medications to support patients to help them remain on long-term therapy.

Risk Factors for Unfavorable Outcomes of Tuberculosis in Korea: Implications for Patient-Centered Care in Tuberculosis Treatment

BACKGROUND

The treatment success rate for tuberculosis (TB) has stagnated at 80-81% in South Korea, indicating unsatisfactory outcomes. Enhancing treatment success rate necessitates the development of individualized treatment approaches for each patient. This study aimed to identify the risk factors associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes to facilitate tailored TB care.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed the data of patients with active TB between January 2019 and December 2020 at a single tertiary referral center. We classified unfavorable treatment outcomes according to the 2021 World Health Organization guidelines as follows: "lost to follow-up" (LTFU), "not evaluated" (NE), "death," and "treatment failure" (TF). Moreover, we analyzed risk factors for each unfavorable outcome using Cox proportional hazard regression analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 659 patients (median age 62 years; male 54.3%) were included in the study. The total unfavorable outcomes were 28.1%: 4.6% LTFU, 9.6% NE, 9.1% deaths, and 4.9% TF. Multivariate analysis showed that a culture-confirmed diagnosis of TB was associated with a lower risk of LTFU (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.10-0.63), whereas the occurrence of adverse drug reactions (ADRs) significantly increased the risk of LTFU (aHR, 6.63; 95% CI, 2.63-16.69). Patients living far from the hospital (aHR, 4.47; 95% CI, 2.50-7.97) and those with chronic kidney disease (aHR, 3.21; 95% CI, 1.33-7.75) were at higher risk of being transferred out to other health institutions (NE). Higher mortality was associated with older age (aHR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04-1.09) and comorbidities. The ADRs that occurred during TB treatment were a risk factor for TF (aHR, 6.88; 95% CI, 2.24-21.13).

CONCLUSION

Unfavorable outcomes of patients with TB were substantial at a tertiary referral center, and the risk factors for each unfavorable outcome varied. To improve treatment outcomes, close monitoring and the provision of tailored care for patients with TB are necessary.

Transmission dynamics variability of lineage 2 Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains in Kobe, Japan, determined using population-based whole-genome sequencing analysis

Currently, tuberculosis (TB) in Japan is highly prevalent among elderly patients who were born during a time when TB was highly prevalent. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) lineage 2 (L2) is the predominant strain in the country. Moreover, the proportion of foreign-born patients with TB has been increasing. This epidemiological situation in Japan motivated us to explore the heterogeneity in transmission dynamics among the sublineages of Mtb L2 within this aging population. For this purpose, we conducted a population-based whole genome sequencing analysis of 550 Mtb strains in Kobe, Japan, and employed pairwise single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) distance clustering and terminal branch length (TBL) distribution analysis to assess Mtb transmission. The genomic clustering rate with a threshold of ≤5 SNPs was significantly lower in elderly patients aged 70 years or higher than in non-elderly patients. The elderly patient group showed significantly longer TBL than the non-elderly group. These results supported the notion that reactivation of distant infection is a major driving force for the high incidence of TB in elderly individuals. The age group distribution and frequency of lineages/sublineages were found to significantly differ between foreign-born and Japan-born patients. The increased proportion of foreign-born patients might have resulted in more strain diversity in Japan. The L2.2.A sublineage demonstrated a significant association with elderly patients and exhibited lower transmission rates, which indicate to be prone to reactivate from long-term latency. In contrast, L2.2.Modern, showed a strong association with younger and foreign-born patients. This sublineage showed a high genomic cluster rate, suggesting its high transmissibility. The other three major sublineages, namely L2.2.AA2, L2.2.AA3.1, and L2.2.AA3.2, exhibited a consistent increase in cluster rates across varying SNP thresholds, indicating their relatively recent emergence as endemic sublineages in Japan. In conclusion, this study highlights distinct differences in the transmission dynamics of L2 sublineages within an aging society.

Temporal trends in mortality of tuberculosis attributable to high fasting plasma glucose in China from 1990 to 2019: a joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort analysis

Background

Nowadays, high fasting plasma glucose (HFPG) has been identified as the important risk factor contributing to the increased burden of diseases. But there remains a lack of research on tuberculosis (TB) mortality specifically attributable to HFPG. Thus, this study aims to explore the long-term trends in HFPG-related TB mortality in China from 1990 to 2019.

Methods

Data on HFPG-related TB mortality were obtained from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) Study 2019. Analyzing the data using joinpoint regression and age-period-cohort methods adjusting for age, period, and cohort allowed us to assess the trends in TB mortality due to HFPG.

Results

The age-standardized mortality rates (ASMRs) of TB attributable to HFPG exhibited a downward trend in China from 1990 to 2019, with an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of -7.0 (95% CI, -7.5 to -6.6). Similar trends were found for male (AAPC of -6.5 [95% CI, -7.0 to -6.0]) and female (AAPC of -8.2 [95% CI, -8.5 to -7.9]), respectively. Local drifts curve with a U-shaped pattern reflected the AAPC of TB mortality due to HFPG across age groups. The greatest decline was observed in the age group of 60-64 years. The mortality rates related to HFPG first increased and then decreased with increasing age, peaking in the 55-59 age group. Our analysis of the period and cohort effects found that the rate ratios of TB mortality due to HFPG have decreased over the past three decades, more prominently in women. It is noteworthy that while both genders have seen a decline in HFPG-attributable TB mortality and risk, men have a higher risk and slightly less significant decline than women.

Conclusion

The present study shows that HFPG-related ASMRs and risk of TB in China decreased over the last 30 years, with similar trends observed in both men and women. In order to attain the recommended level set by the WHO, the effective strategies for glycemic control and management still needed to be implemented strictly to further decrease the burden of TB.

Tuberculosis in older adults: challenges and best practices in the Western Pacific Region

The Western Pacific has one of the fastest-growing older adult populations globally, and tuberculosis (TB) remains one of the foremost infectious causes of disease and death in the region. Older adults are at higher risk of TB due to immunosenescence, comorbidities, and increased institutionalisation. Atypical symptoms and reduced access to health services may delay care-seeking and TB diagnosis, while co-morbidity and increased risk of adverse drug reactions complicate TB treatment. Post-TB sequelae and socioeconomic challenges may decrease the quality of life after TB treatment completion. Despite their high disease burden and special challenges, there is a lack of regionally coordinated policies and guidelines to manage TB among older adults. Routine TB screening at aged-care facilities, age-friendly infrastructure and services, awareness of atypical TB features, integration of TB and non-communicable diseases services, and person-centred approaches to treatment support could improve TB management among older adults. Addressing these challenges and adopting the best practices identified should inform policy formulation and implementation.

Funding

This project was funded by 1) the World Health Organization Regional Office for the Western Pacific, with financial contributions from the Government of the Republic of Korea through the Korean Disease Control and Prevention Agency and the Government of Japan through the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, and 2) NUS Start-up Grant. The funders had no role in the paper design, collection, analysis, and interpretation of data and in writing of the paper.

Factors associated with adverse drug reactions or death in very elderly hospitalized patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

The aging of patients with tuberculosis and better therapeutic management for them are recent concerns. This study aimed to identify risk factors for adverse drug reactions (ADRs) or death in very elderly patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and to assess the association between the dosage of antituberculosis drugs and outcomes. We conducted a multicenter retrospective study at two hospitals. Hospitalized patients (≥ 80 years old) with pulmonary tuberculosis who were treated with antituberculosis drugs were enrolled. Multivariate analysis was performed to assess factors associated with ADRs or death within 60 days after treatment initiation. In total, 632 patients were included. The primary endpoint occurred in 268 patients (190 ADRs and 78 deaths). A serum albumin level < 2.5 g/dL, respiratory failure, and dependent activities of daily living were independent risk factors for ADRs or death. However, a low dosage (< 8 mg/kg/day) of rifampicin was associated with a lower risk of the primary outcomes. Delayed time to negative sputum culture conversion was not observed in the lower dosage of rifampicin group. Very elderly hospitalized tuberculosis patients with the aforementioned risk factors should be carefully monitored to receive safer treatment. Rifampicin dosage reduction may be considered for very elderly tuberculosis patients to prevent ADRs/death.

Challenges in diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis in elderly

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious disease worldwide. Early diagnosis and prompt treatment reduces the transmission, morbidity and mortality in tuberculosis. Elderly (age >65 years) have many risk factors to develop tuberculosis. Recent survey in India showed incidence of TB higher in elderly. They may not have classical symptoms, clinical and radiological signs of TB which can lead to delayed diagnosis or misdiagnosis. In addition, elderly have many comorbid and coexisting diseases which make diagnosis and treatment of TB challenging. Comorbidities, poor general health status and other medications may lead to increased drug adverse reactions and poor adherence to treatment in elderly. Hence special emphasis should be given to elderly for early diagnosis and treatment. Elderly with multiple comorbidities require individualized approach for better outcome.

Tuberculosis in an Aging World

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the leading causes of death due to its being an infectious disease, caused by the airborne pathogen Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb). Approximately one-fourth of the world’s population is infected with latent M.tb, and TB is considered a global threat killing over 4000 people every day. The risk of TB susceptibility and mortality is significantly increased in individuals aged 65 and older, confirming that the elderly represent one of the largest reservoirs for M.tb infection. The elderly population faces many challenges that increase their risk of developing respiratory diseases, including TB. The challenges the elderly face in this regard include the following: decreased lung function, immuno-senescence, inflammaging, adverse drug effects, low tolerance to anti-TB drugs, lack of suitable diagnoses/interventions, and age-associated comorbidities. In order to find new therapeutic strategies to maintain lung homeostasis and resistance to respiratory infections as we age, it is necessary to understand the molecular and cellular mechanisms behind natural lung aging. This review focuses primarily on why the elderly are more susceptible to TB disease and death, with a focus on pulmonary function and comorbidities.

Tuberculosis in the Elderly

The tuberculosis (TB) epidemic is most prevalent in the elderly, and there is a progressive increase in the notification rate with age. Most cases of TB in the elderly are linked to the reactivation of lesions that have remained dormant. The awakening of these lesions is attributable to changes in the immune system related to senescence. The mortality rate from tuberculosis remains higher in elderly patients. Symptoms of active TB are nonspecific and less pronounced in the elderly. Diagnostic difficulties in the elderly are common in many diseases but it is important to use all possible techniques to make a microbiological diagnosis. Recognising frailty to prevent loss of independence is a major challenge in dealing with the therapeutic aspects of elderly patients. Several studies report contrasting data about poorer tolerance of TB drugs in this population. Adherence to antituberculosis treatment is a fundamental issue for the outcome of treatment. Decreased completeness of treatment was shown in older people as well as a higher risk of treatment failure.