Objective To investigate and analyze the epidemic characteristics and factors of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) to provide foundation and make prevention and treatment policy. Methods Statistical analysis was conducted to analyze the current existing PTB prevention and control data in the Center for Disease Control and Prevention of Zhushan County and corresponding prevention and treatment policy was proposed. Results Since 1997 when PTB was included into B infectious diseases in Zhushan County, 4 431 cases of PTB had been reported by the end of 2009. Annual reported incidence rate was 74.73 per 100 000 and the disease was found in 17 towns. All seasons witnessed the incidence but winter and summer had more sufferer. The youngest patient was 4 months whereas the oldest was 86 years old. The majority of the patients were from 20 to 59 years old, peasants were the main patients, and the incidence of male was higher than that of female. The use of chemotherapy resulted in a significant decline of PTB death rate. Poor immunity of elder group, population flow caused by poverty, low detection rate of patients and AIDS were the major causes to PTB epidemic. A lack of prevention and treatment in the grassroots hospital and difficulty to fully implement the Directly Observed Treatment, Short-course (DOTS) strategy in remote areas were also bottlenecks to PTB control process. Conclusion The followings should be performed to improve the quality of DOTS strategy implementation: strengthen the government’s commitment, provide policy and funding safeguard, conduct health education and health promotion widely, reinforce management according to the law, fully implement the DOTS strategy, and fortify the prevention and control construction.
Objective To formulate an evidence-based treatment for a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis combined with tuberculous meningitis and tuberculous pericarditis. Methods According to the principles of evidencebased clinical practice, we searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 2, 2008), Ovid-Reviews (1991 to 2008), MEDLINE (1950 to 2008), and http://www.guideline.org. to identify the best evidence for treating a patient with pulmonary tuberculosis combined with tuberculous meningitis and tuberculous pericarditis. Results Nine guidelines, 2 systematic reviews, and 11 randomized controlled trials were included. The evidence showed that corticosteroids could help reduce the risk of death and disabling residual neurological deficiencies in patients with tuberculous meningitis. After adjusting for age and gender, the overall death rate of patients with tuberculous pericarditis was significantly reduced by prednisolone (P=0.044), as well as the risk of death from pericarditis (P=0.004). But for patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, there was still a controversy about the use of corticosteroids. Given the evidence, the patient’s clinical conditions, and his preferences, dexamethasone was used for the boy in question. After 7 weeks of treatment, his cerebrospinal fluid returned to normal and pericardial effusion disappeared. Conclusion Corticosteroids should be recommended in HIV-negative people with tuberculous meningitis or/and tuberculous pericarditis. The difference in the effectiveness of various corticosteroids such as dexamethasone, prednisolone, or methylprednisolone and the optimal duration of corticosteroid therapy is still unknown.
Objective To investigate the initial drug resistance of Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( M.tuberculosis) in patients with culture positive pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods 1184 patients who hospitalized in Shandong Provincial Chest Hospital with culture positive pulmonary tuberculosis were enrolled. The absolute density method was used to assess the drug resistance of M. tuberculosis. Results M.tuberculosis were sensitive to all anti-tuberculosis drugs in 834 cases( 70. 44% ) , and resistant in 350 cases( 29. 56% ) , in which initial resistance and secondary resistance accounted for 44. 86% ( 157/350) and 55. 14% ( 193 /350) respectively. In 157 cases with initial resistance, 53 cases ( 33. 8% ) were mono-drug resistant tuberculosis( MonoDR-TB) , of which 38 cases were resistance to Streptomycin( 24. 2% ) ; 72 cases( 45. 9% ) were polydrug-resistant tuberculosis ( PDR-TB) ; 20 cases ( 12. 7% ) were multidrug-resistant tuberculosis ( MDR-TB) ; 12 cases ( 7. 6% ) were extensively drug resistant tuberculosis ( XDR-TB) . There was no totally drug-resistant tuberculosis ( TDR-TB) . Conclusions The initial drug resistance of M.tuberculosis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis is still serious. Unified management of TB control programs and full supervision of chemotherapy are very imperative.
Objective To investigate diagnosis and treatment strategies of patients with pulmonary tuberculosis （TB） complicated by Aspergillus infection. Methods Clinical data of 38 patients with pulmonary TB complicated by Aspergillus infection who underwent surgical treatment from January 2008 to December 2010 in Chengdu Infectious Disease Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. There were 23 male patients and 15 female patients with their average age of 37.8 （23-59） years. Preoperatively，all the patients received regular anti-TB treatment for more than 2 weeks，and patients with definite Aspergillus infection received anti-Aspergillus therapy for more than 3 days with consultation of infectious disease physicians. After above treatment，26 patients underwent lobectomy，1 patient underwent right pneumonectomy，and 11 patients underwent left pneumonectomy. All the patients were followed up at the outpatient department after discharge. They were evaluated every 2 weeks in the first 3 months，every 1 month after 3 months，and every 6 months after 1 year. During follow-up，they received acid-fast bacillus smear and sputum culture to check Aspergillus，as well as CT chest scan. Results All the patients successfully received surgical resection of the pulmonary lesion without perioperative death or severe complication. Postoperative pathology examination confirmed pulmonary TB with Aspergillosis infection in all the 38 patients，whose basic diseases included TB cavity in 17 patients，TB-destroyed lung in 12 patients，and post-TB bronchiectasis in 9 patients. All the patients were followed up after discharge for 1.5-4.5 years. During follow-up，they received regular anti-TB therapy for adequate duration in addition to antifungal medications such as voriconazole. None of the 38 patients had recurrence of Aspergillus infection or pulmonary TB. One patient had hemoptysis which was controlled after proper treatment during follow-up. Conclusion Missed diagnosis rate of pulmonary TB complicated by Aspergillus infection is high. Surgical resection of the pulmonary lesion and postoperative medication treatment are the most effective treatment strategies for patients with pulmonary TB complicated by Aspergillus infection.
Objective To access the effectiveness and safety of levofloxacin in controlling multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Methods The electronic searches in databases of PubMed, EMbase, The Cochrane Library, CNKI, CBM and VIP, handsearches and other searches were conducted from the date of their establishment to April 2011 for collecting randomized controlled trials (RCTs) on levofloxacin treating MDR-TB. Two researchers independently screened the literature according to the inclusive and exclusive criteria, extracted the data, assessed the quality of the included studies by adopting the Jadad scale, and performed Meta-analysis by using RevMan 5.0 software. Results A total of 31 RCTs involving 2836 cases were included. The results of meta-analysis showed: a) Compared with the placebo group, levofloxacin could increase the sputum negative conversion rate after 3-month taking and at the end of the treatment period; b) Compared with the ofloxacin group, levofloxacin could increase the sputum negative conversion rate after 3 months and at the end of the treatment period; c) levofloxacin replacing either ethambutol or streptomycin could increase the sputum negative conversion rate after 3 months and at the end of the treatment period; d) Compared with the levofloxacin group, gatifloxacin and moxifloxacin could increase the sputum negative conversion rate after 3 months and at the end of the treatment period; e) There was no significant difference in the adverse reaction rate between each of the medication regimens (P=0.19). Conclusion Levofloxacin is more effective for MDR-TB than ofloxacin, ethambutol and streptomycin, but it is inferior to gatifloxacin or moxifloxacin. Its adverse reaction rate is equivalent to other medicines’.
Objective To assess the effect of astragaulus membranaceus in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods Through applying the methods provided by the Cochrane Collaboration, the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs of astragaulus membranaceus in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis were searched in The Cochrane Library (Issue 3, 2010), CNKI (1991 to May 2010), VIP (1989 to May 2010), EMbase (1981 to May 2010), and PubMed (1981 to May 2010). Two reviewers independently screened the included studies, extracted the data, assessed the quality, and cross checked then. The RevMan 5.0 software was used to conduct meta-analyses. Results Twelve RCTs involving 1 054 patients were included. All trials were tested in the mainland China. The results of meta-analyses showed that: a) The astragaulus membranaceus could assist the conventional drug to cure pulmonary tuberculosis, promote sputum negative conversion, focal absorption and cavity reduction in lung; b) The astragaulus membranaceus could reduce the adverse reactions of the conventional drug; c) The astragaulus membranaceus combined with the conventional drug could improve the patients’ symptoms and signs; and d) The astragaulus membranaceus combined with the conventional drug could reduce the bacterial relapse rates in follow-up after treatment. Conclusion The current evidence shows that the astragaulus membranaceus has some effects and is relatively safe to treat pulmonary tuberculosis. However, it is far from enough to recommend astragaulus membranaceus as a conventional adjuvant therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis because of no sufficient evidence obtained from this study for its small sample and low methodology quality. Therefore, more double-blind multi-center RCTs with high quality, large sample, and adequate follow up are required for further verification.
Objectives To evaluate the effect and safety of mycobacterium vaccae in the treatment of recurrent treated pulmonary tuberculosis. Methods We searched PubMed (1997 to 2006), VIP (1997 to 2006), Wanfang database (1997 to 2006), The Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Issue 4, 2006) and the National Research Register (1996 to 2006). Randomized controlled trials comparing the mycobacterium vaccae immunotherapy group and the control group were included. Two reviewers independently performed data extraction and quality assessment. Data were analyzed using RevMan 4.2.2 software by The Cochrane Collaboration. Results Eleven high quality trials were included. Meta-analyses showed that mycobacterium vaccae immunotherapy plus chemotherapy resulted in higher sputum negative conversion rate (RR=1.36, 95%CI 1.21 to 1.54), higher lesion absorption rate (RR=1.39, 95%CI 1.13 to 1.72), and lower lesion non-absorption rate (RR=0.46, 95%CI 0.36 to 0.60), compared with the control group. These differences were all statistically significant. No serious adverse events were reported. Conclusion As an adjunct to chemotherapy, mycobacterium vaccae is helpful for patients with recurrent treated pulmonary tuberculosis in terms of improving cell-medicated immunity, sputum negative conversion and X-ray manifestation. More high quality studies are needed for further analysis.
ObjectiveTo observe the impact of perioperative nursing intervention on pulmonary tuberculosis patients undergoing lung resection. MethodThirty-six pulmonary tuberculosis patients going to undergo lung resection hospitalized between January and December 2013 were randomly divided into intervention group and control group with 18 in each. Patients in the intervention group received routine perioperative care plus nursing intervention including preoperative, environmental, dieting and pain intervention. Then, complications, hospitalization time and costs, as well as patients' satisfaction with the nursing work were compared between the two groups. ResultsAfter nursing intervention, complications, hospitalization time, hospital costs of patients in the intervention group were significantly less than the control group (P<0.05), and patients' satisfaction was significantly higher (P<0.05). ConclusionsPerioperative nursing intervention on lung resection treatment and rehabilitation of patients play an active and effective role, which can reduce complications, shorten hospitalization time, reduce hospital costs and improve patients' satisfaction.
ObjectiveTo compare the performance of 36-item short form health survey (SF-36) and World Health Organization quality of life-bref (WHOQOL-Bref) in assessing quality of life (QOL) in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). MethodsThe WHOQOL-Bref questionnaire and the SF-36 questionnaire were administered to patients with tuberculosis undergoing treatment from July to September 2013. The statistical methods of reliability analysis, factor analysis and the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis were used. ResultsIt showed that the WHOQOL-Bref and the SF-36 both had good reliability (Cronbach α=0.863 and 0.920, respectively). Constructive validity of the two instruments were checked by factor analysis and the Pearson correlation coefficient analysis, which indicated that both the two instruments had good validity. Among scales measuring similar concepts, many subscales of the SF-36 and the four domains of the WHOQOL-Bref unexpectedly had a fair correlation with one another. For example, the physical QOL, psychological QOL, and social relation QOL domains of the WHOQOL-Bref and physical functioning, mental health, and social functioning of the SF-36 were 0.482, 0.745, and 0.572, respectively. ConclusionThe WHOQOL-Bref and the SF-36 have an approximately equivalent practicability in assessing the quality of life in patients with TB.
ObjectiveTo investigate the diagnostic value of products triggered by endotoxin including cytokines and procalcitonin for differentiating bacterial pneumonia from pulmonary tuberculosis. MethodsFifty patients diagnosed to have hospital-acquired pneumonia and another 50 patients diagnosed with tuberculosis admitted into West China Hospital between January and August 2015 were recruited in this study. The frequencies of CD4+ interferon (IFN)-γ+, CD4+ tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α+, CD4+ interleukin (IL)-2+, CD4+ IL-10+ as well as CD8+IFN-γ+, CD8+TNF-α+, CD8+IL-2+, CD8+IL-10+ populations in peripheral blood were detected by flow cytometry after endotoxin stimulation. Meanwhile, the levels of procalcitonin, IL-6 and C reactive protein were measured by immunofluorescence staining. ResultsThe frequencies of CD4+ IFN-γ+, CD4+ TNF-α+, CD4+ IL-2+, CD4+ IL-10+ as well as CD8+ IFN-γ+, CD8+ TNF-α+, CD8+ IL-2+, CD8+ IL-10+ populations in the pneumonia group increased significantly compared with those in the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). The levels of procalcitonin, IL-6 and C-reactive protein in the pneumonia group increased statistically compared with the counterparts in the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). The positive rates of procalcitonin, IL-6 and C-reactive protein in the pneumonia group were significantly higher than those in the tuberculosis group (P < 0.05). ConclusionMeasurement of products triggered by endotoxin is beneficial for differential diagnosis of pneumonia from tuberculosis.