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Early treatment response evaluated by a clinical scoring system correlates with the prognosis of pulmonary tuberculosis patients in Ethiopia: A prospective follow-up study.
Department of Clinical Sciences, Section for Infectious Diseases, Skåne University Hospital, Lund University, Malmö, Sweden.
Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Medical Microbiology.
Linköping University, Faculty of Health Sciences. Linköping University, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Medical Microbiology.
Department of Medical Laboratory Sciences, University of Gondar, Ethiopia.
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2012 (English)In: Scandinavian journal of infectious diseases, ISSN 1651-1980, Vol. 44, no 11, p. 828-834Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Background: In resource-limited settings the monitoring of tuberculosis (TB) patients is challenging, and early identification of TB patients with a high mortality risk is important. The aim of this study was to investigate prospectively whether early changes in a clinical scoring system (TB score) can predict treatment outcome in Ethiopian patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. Method: TB patients (n = 250) and blood donors (n = 82) were recruited prospectively at Gondar University Hospital, Ethiopia. Clinical scoring was performed using an interview-based questionnaire and clinical examination. Results: Among TB patients (53.6% of whom were HIV co-infected) the median TB score declined from week 0 to week 2 (8 (interquartile range (IQR) 6-9) vs 4 (IQR 2-6)) and dropped to a low level at week 8, which was still significantly higher than that found in blood donors (2 (IQR 1-4) vs 0 (IQR 0-1), p < 0.0001). Patients who died had a significantly higher TB score at week 0, week 2, and week 8 than survivors. Mortality was associated with a failure to achieve a decrease greater than 25% in the TB score at 2 weeks. Baseline CD4 + cell counts (< 200 cells/mm(3)) were associated with mortality but not with initial TB score results. Conclusions: The TB score was increased during the first 2 months of treatment among patients who died. Failure to achieve a greater than 25% decrease in TB score after 2 weeks of treatment was associated with increased mortality. Repeated clinical scoring during the intensive phase of TB treatment could be useful to identify high-risk patients.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2012. Vol. 44, no 11, p. 828-834
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-85315DOI: 10.3109/00365548.2012.694468ISI: 000310008900004PubMedID: 22812387OAI: oai:DiVA.org:liu-85315DiVA, id: diva2:569978
Note

funding agencies|Swedish Heart and Lung Foundation||EU/EDCTP project|JP 2009.10800.006|Swedish heart and lung Foundation (King Oscar II Jubilee Foundation)||EU/EDCP|JP.10800.006|

Available from: 2012-11-15 Created: 2012-11-15 Last updated: 2013-05-02
In thesis
1. The impact of helminth infection in patients with active tuberculosis
Open this publication in new window or tab >>The impact of helminth infection in patients with active tuberculosis
2013 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

The geographic distribution of helminth infection and tuberculosis (TB) overlap substantially. Experimental animal models and limited data from humans have shown that intestinal helminths could subvert the host immune response towards a T-helper 2 (Th2)-type immune response and an increased regulatory T-cell activity (Tregs). This in turn affects the host's ability to mount an effective Th1 immune-mediated protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. However, evidence for this hypothesis in the human setting from helminth infected TB patients is limited. This thesis primarily focuses on the immunological and clinical impact of helminth infection on pulmonary TB. The kinetics of the Quantiferon-Gold (QFN) assay, which measures IFN-³ response to TB-specific antigens in whole blood was assessed and showed a modest decline during TB treatment to the level observed for healthy blood donors. We further assessed another clinical monitoring tool, the-TB-score, composed of clinical signs and symptoms of TB, and found an early decline two weeks after initiation of TB- treatment where a failure of decline correlated with increased mortality. Overall, the helminth co-infection rate was significantly higher in TB patients compared to healthy controls. Helminth co-infection was associated to a significantly higher rate of eosinophilia and IgE-levels in healthy controls and patients with tuberculosis. During the first weeks of anti-TB treatment, a marked decrease in the rate of helminth infection was observed in HIV co-infected compared to HIV-negative TB patients. However, helminth co-infection was more common in HIV negative than HIV positive TB patients. There was no detectable impact of helminth infection on the clinical presentation of pulmonary tuberculosis. At baseline, helminth co-infected TB patients showed an increased frequency of Tregs compared to helminth negative TB patients and healthy controls. This was accompanied by an increased rate of PPD stimulated IL-5 and spontaneous production of IL-10 by peripheral blood mononuclear cells among helminth co-infected TB patients. A placebo controlled randomized trial was conducted in order to test the hypothesis that albendazole treatment of helminth positive TB patients may improve the clinical response of TB by reducing the immunmodulatory effect of helminthes on TB immunity. A total of 140 helminth co-infected TB patients were randomized to albendazole (400 mg per os for three consecutive days) or placebo. No significant difference was observed between the albendazole and placebo group in terms of the primary outcome (TB score change between baseline and week 8). Among the secondary outcomes, a significant decline of peripheral eosinophil cells was observed in the albendazole treated group, but no effect on other outcome variables (changes in chest x-ray findings, IgE level and sputum smear conversion). Regarding the immunological assessment no significant difference was observed for changes in Tregs, and PPD-induced production of IFN- ³ or IL-5 although a non-significant trend of a decrease in IL-10 expressing PBMCs were observed in the albendazole group. Taken together, the burden of helminth infection was higher in TB patients than in a healthy control group. Helminth co-infection during pulmonary TB in the human setting induces an immune response characterized by increased IgE production, eosinophilia as well as increased levels of Tregs and spontaneous IL-10 production. Thus, the immunological impact of helminth infection on the outcome and risk for developing TB merits further investigation.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Linköping: Linköping University Electronic Press, 2013. p. 84
Series
Linköping University Medical Dissertations, ISSN 0345-0082 ; 1361
National Category
Medical and Health Sciences
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:liu:diva-91833 (URN)978-91-7519-653-4 (ISBN)
Public defence
2013-06-05, Berzeliussalen, Hälsouniversitetet, Campus US, Linköpings universitet, Linköping, 13:00 (English)
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Available from: 2013-05-02 Created: 2013-05-02 Last updated: 2019-12-08Bibliographically approved

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Abate, EbbaIdh, JonnaStendahl, OlleSchön, Thomas

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