The diagnosis of extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Malawi

Predictors of slow clinical response and extended treatment in patients with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in Pakistan, A hospital-based prospective study

The optimal duration of treatment in different forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB) is not clearly defined. This study aimed to identify predictors of slow clinical response and extended anti-TB treatment in EPTB patients. Socio-demographic, clinical, and microbiological characteristics of EPTB patients registered for anti-TB treatment at a tertiary care hospital, were analysed for identification of predictors of extended treatment. A total of 251 patients (137 lymphadenitis, and 114 pleuritis) were included in the analysis. Treatment was extended to more than 6 months in 58/251 (23%) patients. In the multivariate regression analysis, culture-positive EPTB (p = 0.007) [OR (95% CI) = 3.81 (1.43, 10.11)], history of diabetes (p = 0.014) [OR (95% CI) = 25.18 (1.94, 325.83)], smokeless tobacco use (p = 0.002) [OR (95% CI) = 17.69 (2.80, 111.72)], and slow regression of local signs and symptoms after 2 months of treatment (p < 0.001) [OR (95% CI) = 17.09 [(5.79, 50.39)] were seen to be significantly associated with treatment extension. Identification of predictors of extended treatment can help clinical decisions regarding optimal duration of treatment. Further studies are needed to identify subgroups of EPTB patients who can benefit from a shorter or longer treatment regimen.

The rise and fall of tuberculosis in Malawi: associations with HIV infection and antiretroviral therapy

OBJECTIVES

Since 1985, Malawi has experienced a dual epidemic of HIV and tuberculosis (TB) which has been moderated recently by the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART). The aim of this study was to describe the association over several decades between HIV/AIDS, the scale-up of ART and TB case notifications.

METHODS

Aggregate data were extracted from annual reports of the National TB Control Programme, the Ministry of Health HIV Department and the National Statistics Office. ART coverage was calculated using the total HIV population as denominator (derived from UNAIDS Spectrum software).

RESULTS

In 1970, there were no HIV-infected persons but numbers had increased to a maximum of 1.18 million by 2014. HIV prevalence reached a maximum of 10.8% in 2000, thereafter decreasing to 7.5% by 2014. Numbers alive on ART increased from 2586 in 2003 to 536 527 (coverage 45.3%) by 2014. In 1985, there were 5286 TB cases which reached a maximum of 28 234 in 2003 and then decreased to 17 723 by 2014 (37% decline from 2003). There were increases in all types of new TB between 1998-2003 which then declined by 30% for extrapulmonary TB, by 37% for new smear-positive PTB and by 50% for smear-negative PTB. Previously treated TB cases reached a maximum of 3443 in 2003 and then declined by 42% by 2014.

CONCLUSION

The rise and fall of TB in Malawi between 1985 and 2014 was strongly associated with HIV infection and ART scale-up; this has implications for ending the TB epidemic in high HIV-TB burden countries.

The burden and treatment outcomes of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in Bhutan

SETTING

All tuberculosis (TB) registration sites in Bhutan.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional study involving a retrospective review of TB registers and TB treatment cards.

OBJECTIVES

To determine: 1) the number and proportion of all TB cases registered as extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) from 2001 to 2010, 2) the age and sex of the patients and the categories and types of EPTB registered in 2010, and 3) their treatment outcomes.

RESULTS

The proportion of all TB cases registered as EPTB over a period of 10 years varied from 30% to 40%. In 2010, 505 patients were registered with EPTB, of whom 50% were male, 21% were children, and 96% were new EPTB cases. TB lymph node enlargement and pleural effusion were the two most common types of EPTB, accounting for 67%, followed by abdominal TB and spinal/bone/kidney disease. The overall treatment success rate was 90%, and was generally similar with respect to sex, age and different types of EPTB.

CONCLUSION

Bhutan has a high proportion of patients registered as having EPTB, for whom treatment outcomes are satisfactory. Further work is needed to better understand how EPTB is diagnosed throughout the country.

National profile and treatment outcomes of patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis in Bénin

BACKGROUND

In sub-Saharan Africa, there is a dearth of published literature on extrapulmonary tuberculosis (EPTB).

OBJECTIVE

To describe demographic, diagnostic and HIV-status characteristics of patients with EPTB in Bénin, their treatment outcomes, and among those who completed their treatment in the Centre National Hospitalier de Pneumo-Phtisiologie (CNHP-P), the proportion whose bodyweight increased during treatment.

MATERIAL AND FINDINGS

This was a retrospective cohort study with comparisons made between EPTB and new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (NPTB) patients diagnosed in the country from January to December 2011. There were 383 EPTB patients (9% of all TB cases) with a mean age of 35 years, male/female ratio of 1.3 and important regional variation. There were significantly more females (p = 0.001), children <15 years (p<0.001) and HIV-positive patients (p = 0.005) with EPTB compared with NPTB. Pleural effusion, spinal and lymph node tuberculosis accounted for 66% of all EPTB. Children <15 years represented 16% of cases, with lymph node disease being most common among them (p<0.001). Of 130 EPTB patients registered in CNHP-P, 7% had a confirmed bacteriological/histological diagnosis. There were 331 (86%) patients who successfully completed treatment. More patients with EPTB were lost-to-follow-up compared with NPTB (p<0.001) with all these patients from one region. The best treatment completion rates were in children <15 years (OR:3.5, 95%CI:1.0-14.8) while patients with pleural effusion and ascites had the worst outcomes. Of 72 HIV-coinfected patients, 88% were on antiretroviral therapy (ART). HIV-positive status was associated with poor outcomes while those on ART fared better. In the CNHP-P, more than 80% who completed their treatment showed an increase in bodyweight and this was more evident in HIV-positive compared with HIV-negative patients (p = 0.03).

CONCLUSION

Patients with EPTB generally do well in Bénin, although the TB Programme would benefit through more attention to accurate diagnosis and earlier start of ART in HIV-infected patients.

Re-treatment tuberculosis cases categorised as "other": are they properly managed?

Background

Although the World Health Organization (WHO) provides information on the number of TB patients categorised as “other”, there is limited information on treatment regimens or treatment outcomes for “other”. Such information is important, as inappropriate treatment can lead to patients remaining infectious and becoming a potential source of drug resistance. Therefore, using a cohort of TB patients from a large registration centre in Lilongwe, Malawi, our study determined the proportion of all TB re-treatment patients who were registered as “other”, and described their characteristics and treatment outcomes.

Methods

This retrospective observational study used routine program data to determine the proportion of all TB re-treatment patients who were registered as “other” and describe their characteristics and treatment outcomes between January 2006 and December 2008.

Results

1,384 (12%) of 11,663 TB cases were registered as re-treatment cases. Of these, 898 (65%) were categorised as “other”: 707 (79%) had sputum smear-negative pulmonary TB and 191 (21%) had extra pulmonary TB. Compared to the smear-positive relapse, re-treatment after default (RAD) and failure cases, smear-negative “other” cases were older than 34 years and less likely to have their HIV status ascertained. Among those with known HIV status, “other” TB cases were more likely to be HIV positive. Of TB patients categorised as “other”, 462 (51%) were managed on the first-line regimen with a treatment success rate of 63%.

Conclusion

A large proportion of re-treatment patients were categorised as “other”. Many of these patients were HIV-infected and over half were treated with a first-line regimen, contrary to national guidelines. Treatment success was low. More attention to recording, diagnosis and management of these patients is warranted as incorrect treatment regimen and poor outcomes could lead to the development of drug resistant forms of TB.

Weight, body composition and handgrip strength among pulmonary tuberculosis patients: a matched cross-sectional study in Mwanza, Tanzania

This study aimed to estimate deficits in weight, arm fat area (AFA), arm muscle area (AMA) and handgrip strength among smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB+) patients starting treatment. We conducted a cross-sectional study among PTB+ patients and age- and sex-matched neighborhood controls. HIV status, anthropometric measurements and handgrip strength were determined. Deficits in weight, AFA, AMA and handgrip strength associated with PTB+ and HIV were estimated using multiple regression analysis. We recruited 355 pairs of PTB+ patients and controls. PTB+ was associated with deficits of 10.0kg (95% CI 7.3; 12.7) in weight and 6.8kg (95% CI 5.2; 8.3) in handgrip strength among females and 9.1kg (95% CI 7.3; 10.9) in weight and 6.8kg (95% CI 5.2; 8.4) in handgrip strength among males. In both sexes, PTB+ was associated with deficits in AFA and AMA. Among females, HIV was associated with deficits in AMA and handgrip strength, but the deficit in handgrip strength was larger among PTB+ patients (3.2kg 95% CI 1.3; 5.2) than controls (-1.6kg 95% CI -4.8; 1.5) (interaction, P=0.009). These findings suggest that deficits in weight and handgrip strength among patients starting TB treatment are severe. Thus, nutritional support may be necessary to ensure reversal of the deficits, and may improve treatment outcomes.

Interferon gamma/IL10 ratio defines the disease severity in pulmonary and extra pulmonary tuberculosis

Several cytokines (IFN gamma, TNF alpha, IL10 and IL6) show an association with either disease localization or dissemination in tuberculosis. There are also reports of involvement of extra-pulmonary sites in tuberculosis with differential clinical severity. However, no comparative study of biomarkers across the disease severity spectrum is available. This was the purpose of the current study. Cytokines (IFN gamma, TNFalpha, IL10 and IL6) secreted in response to a panel of stimulants (PHA, LPS or mycobacterial antigens) in whole blood were determined in eighty-two tuberculosis patients. WHO criteria was applied for stratification of patients according to disease severity: disseminated and or severe disease (EPTB1; N=29); disease localized to lung parenchyma (PTB; N=32) and disease localized to peripheral sites without lung involvement (EPTB2; N=21). Mycobacterial antigens induced IFN gamma/IL10 ratio showed a direct relationship with disease severity ranking (median ratios: EPTB1=0.21; PTB=0.85; EPTB2=7.7) and the highest correlation (Spearman Rank; rho=0.673, p<0.000001). IFN gamma/IL10 ratio also rank ordered clinical severity as it relates to anatomic sites. IFN gamma/IL10 ratio may therefore provide a useful objective marker of disease severity in both pulmonary and extra-pulmonary tuberculosis.

Genital tuberculosis in a tamoxifen-treated postmenopausal woman with breast cancer and bloody vaginal discharge

BACKGROUND

Female genital tuberculosis is an uncommon disease that is rarely diagnosed in developed countries.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 61-year-old postmenopausal woman who had undergone surgery and treated with adjuvant chemotherapy for infiltrating ductal carcinoma of the breast five years ago, presented with bloody vaginal discharge, fatigue, weight loss, and low grade fevers at night for two months. Histological examination of the endometrium, done based on the suspicion of a second primary cancer due to the tamoxifen therapy, revealed a granulomatous reaction. Liquid and solid mycobacterial cultures of the tissues were performed. Although the acid fast staining was negative, the liquid culture was positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Involvement of other systems was not detected. The patient was treated with a three-drug antituberculosis regimen for 9 months and recovered fully.

CONCLUSION

Female genital tuberculosis is a rare but curable disease that should be included in the differential diagnosis of women with menstrual problems. Early diagnosis is important and may prevent unnecessary invasive procedures for the patient.