Endobronchial tuberculosis

Endobronchial growth: Tumor or tuberculosis

Endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) is characterized by tuberculosis infection of the tracheobronchial tree. It has variable presentation but tumorous growth-like presentation in bronchus is very rare. The clinical and radiological features are non-specific, which creates a diagnostic dilemma. Bronchoscopy and biopsy of the lesion are mandatory to confirm the diagnosis. In this case series, we are presenting three unique cases of endobronchial growth diagnosed as EBTB after biopsy and evaluation of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) with cartridge-based nucleic acid amplification test (CBNAAT) and other ancillary investigations for tuberculosis. Four patients presented to the outpatient department with non-specific symptoms of fever, cough, hoarseness of voice, and hemoptysis. They were evaluated with chest radiograph (CXR), contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CECT) thorax, and bronchoscopy. Bronchoscopy revealed growth in the bronchus in all three cases. A biopsy was taken and BAL was performed. All cases turned out to be EBTB in histopathological examination and BAL CBNAAT. They were treated with anti-tubercular drugs and all responded well to treatment. Endobronchial tuberculosis presenting as tumorous growth in the tracheobronchial tree is rare. There should be a high index of suspicion while dealing with patients with non-specific clinical and radiological features of tuberculosis. EBTB can be misdiagnosed as malignancy in most cases. Therefore, it should be kept as a differential diagnosis while encountering a mass lesion in the trachea or bronchus during bronchoscopy.

Development, assessment and validation of a novel prediction nomogram model for risk identification of tracheobronchial tuberculosis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

OBJECTIVE

Tracheobronchial tuberculosis (TBTB), a specific subtype of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), can lead to bronchial stenosis or bronchial occlusion if not identified early. However, there is currently no available means for predicting the risk of associated TBTB in PTB patients. The objective of this study was to establish a risk prediction nomogram model for estimating the associated TBTB risk in every PTB patient.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort study was conducted with 2153 PTB patients. Optimised characteristics were selected using least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Multivariate logistic regression was applied to build a predictive nomogram model. Discrimination, calibration and clinical usefulness of the prediction model were assessed using C-statistics, receiver operator characteristic curves, calibration plots and decision analysis. The developed model was validated both internally and externally.

RESULTS

Among all PTB patients who underwent bronchoscopies (n=2153), 40.36% (n=869) were diagnosed with TBTB. A nomogram model incorporating 11 predictors was developed and displayed good discrimination with a C-statistics of 0.782, a sensitivity of 0.661 and a specificity of 0.762 and good calibration with a calibration-in-the-large of 0.052 and a calibration slope of 0.957. Model's discrimination was favourable in both internal (C-statistics, 0.782) and external (C-statistics, 0.806) validation. External validation showed satisfactory accuracy (sensitivity, 0.690; specificity, 0.804) in independent cohort. Decision curve analysis showed that the model was clinically useful when intervention was decided on at the exacerbation possibility threshold of 2.3%-99.2%. A clinical impact curve demonstrated that our model predicted high-risk estimates and true positives.

CONCLUSION

We developed a novel and convenient risk prediction nomogram model that enhances the risk assessment of associated TBTB in PTB patients. This nomogram can help identify high-risk PTB patients who may benefit from early bronchoscopy and aggressive treatment to prevent disease progression.

Sex-Specific Differences in the Clinical Profile Among Patients with Tracheobronchial Tuberculosis: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study in Shenzhen, China

Purpose

Tracheobronchial tuberculosis (TBTB) has been proposed to occur more commonly in female patients. However, to date, studies that systematically delineate differences between female and male patients with TB infection are lacking. We aimed to comprehensively assess the sex-specific differences in clinical manifestation, bronchoscopy performance, bacteriological examination, and imaging of TBTB in Shenzhen, China.

Methods

All patients with diagnosed TBTB from August 1, 2018 to July 31, 2021 at The Third People’s Hospital of Shenzhen were enrolled in the present study. Demographic information, clinical manifestations, blood tests, chest computed tomography, and bronchoscopic findings were collected, and assessed their sex-specific differences.

Results

Of these 331 patients, 238 patients (71.9%) were female, and 93 patients (28.1%) were male, with an overall average age of 37.3 years. The average age of male patients with TBTB was more than 5 years older than that of female patients. The prevalence of lymph fistula and diabetes mellitus was significantly higher in male patients than female patients (8.6% vs 1.7%, P = 0.005; 17.2% vs 2.1%, P < 0.001). The positive proportion of sputum smear was higher in male patients (27.9%) than in female patients (16.7%, P = 0.026). Moreover, the mean monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio, serum CRP, and IL-6 levels were significantly higher in male patients than in female patients (P < 0.05).

Conclusion

In summary, in patients with TBTB diagnosis, male sex was associated with a high prevalence of diabetes mellitus, lymph fistula, and smear-positive ratio, as well as high inflammation levels. The management of young female and male patients with diabetes mellitus and high inflammation levels should be strengthened. Furthermore, to reduce the burden of TBTB, we must pay attention to the risk of TBTB in past tuberculosis patients, especially male patients under 45 years old and female patients over 45 years old.

Endobronchial tuberculosis polyps

Endobronchial tuberculosis (TB) is an uncommon manifestation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. We report a case of endobronchial TB polyps in a patient from India presenting with cough, loss of weight and night sweats. Computed tomography chest revealed enlarged mediastinal lymph nodes, endobronchial invasion, and nodular infiltrates in the right lower lobe. Flexible bronchoscopy revealed two endobronchial polyps at the carina and left main bronchus which were biopsied. Histopathology showed non‐caseating granulomas. Both the biopsy and bronchial washings did not identify acid‐fast bacilli on Ziehl‐Neelsen stain and had negative TB complex DNA polymerase chain reaction. One month after bronchoscopy, M. tuberculosis was cultured from the bronchial washings. Following six months of TB treatment, there was full resolution of symptoms and significant radiological improvement. We highlight the diagnostic challenges in endobronchial TB which may impact on the timely institution of treatment.

[Surgical Treatment of Bronchial Stricture due to Endobronchial Tuberculosis: Results in 36 Consecutive Cases]

背景与目的

支气管结核是肺结核常见的并发症，本研究目的是探讨支气管结核的临床特点，手术指征及总结外科治疗经验。

方法

对36例诊断明确且造成支气管狭窄或肺不张的支气管结核患者，给予药物及内镜腔内治疗无效而进行外科治疗，术前规律抗结核治疗6个月以上，术后继续抗结核治疗9个月-12个月。其中全肺切除8例，肺叶切除23例，袖状肺叶切除5例。

结果

36例患者均治愈，无手术死亡，6例患者术后出现并发症，给与对应治疗痊愈出院，无支气管胸膜瘘及结核播散。随访1年以上无复发。

结论

对于药物及内镜治疗无效，伴有肺内不可逆病变的支气管结核患者应考虑积极手术。

Pathology of Tuberculosis: How the Pathology of Human Tuberculosis Informs and Directs Animal Models

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by the pathogenic bacterium Mycobacterium tuberculosis. A wide variety of host- and pathogen-associated variables influence the clinical manifestation of TB in different individuals within the human population. As a consequence, the characteristic granulomatous lesions that develop within the lung are heterogeneous in size and cellular composition. Due to the lack of appropriate tissues from human TB patients, a variety of animal models are used as surrogates to study the basic pathogenesis and to test experimental vaccines and new drug therapies. Few animal models mimic the clinical course and pathological response of M. tuberculosis seen in the naturally occurring disease in people. In particular, post-primary TB, which accounts for the majority of cases of active TB and is responsible for transmission between individuals via aerosol exposers, cannot be reproduced in animals and therefore cannot be adequately modeled experimentally. This article describes a new paradigm that explains the pathogenesis of post-primary TB in humans. This new evidence was derived from histological examination of tissues from patients with different stages of M. tuberculosis infection and that had not been treated with antimicrobial drugs. Gaining a better understanding of this unique stage of TB disease will lead to more effective treatment, diagnostic, and prevention strategies.

[Endobronchial tuberculosis]

BACKGROUND/AIM

The endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) is an uncommon type of tuberculosis. The respiratory symptoms in EBTB are usually nonspecific and misleading. The aim of the study is to determine the clinical features and diagnostic aspects of EBTB.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Twenty-eight cases of endobronchial tuberculosis collected from January 2009 to October 2015.

RESULTS

EBTB was found in 16 females and 12 males. The mean age was 48 years. The history of tuberculosis and tuberculosis contagion were not found in any case. The respiratory symptoms were dominated by cough and dyspnea. Hemoptysis was found in 7 cases. The chest X-ray showed associated pulmonary lesions in 26 cases. Bronchoscopy finded an endobronchial granular lesion in 15 cases, a tumorous pattern in 7 cases; a thickening spurs in 4 cases and ganglio-bronchial fistula in two cases. Bronchial biopsies had found a caseo-follicular tuberculosis in 27 cases. Pleural biopsy confirmed associated pleural tuberculosis in one case. The research of Koch bacillus in the sputum was positive in 13 cases and culture in 6 cases. The antituberculosis treatment was started in all patients and an oral corticosteroids treatment was associated in 5 cases. The evolution was good in 26 cases.

CONCLUSION

This study showed clinical, radiological and endoscopic bronchial tuberculosis polymorphism making its diagnosis difficult and the importance of a bacteriological and/or histological confirmation.

Tracheobronchial tuberculosis: a clinical review

Endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) is defined as tuberculous infection of the tracheobronchial tree. The exact pathogenesis is unclear, and it has a heterogenous clinical course. Its diagnosis requires the clinician to have a high index of suspicion based on clinical symptoms and radiological features. Computed tomography and bronchoscopy are useful tools in its evaluation. The goal of treatment is in the eradication of tuberculous bacilli with appropriate anti-tuberculous therapy. Use of corticosteroids is controversial for the prevention of tracheobronchial stenosis. Interventional bronchoscopy or surgical intervention is employed to restore airway patency once significant stenosis occurs.