Increased activation and expansion of a CD57+ subset within peripheral CD8+ T lymphocytes in mycobacterium tuberculosis-infected patients

Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocyte responses restrict the spread of extracellular pathogens by limiting M.tuberculosis replication. Alterations in cytolytic function, inappropriate maturation/differentiation, and limited proliferation could reduce their ability to control M.tuberculosis replication. In an attempt to further characterize the immune responses during M.tuberculosis infection, we enumerated delta and alpha beta receptor-bearing T cells expressing CD8 or CD4 phenotype and analyzed the differentiation phenotypes of CD8+ and CD4+ T lymphocyte subpopulations in 47 cases [23 new cases and 24 multidrug resistant patients] and 20 control subjects, using flowcytometry. We found that the CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly lower in newly-diagnosed M.tuberculosis patients compared to multidrug resistant and control subjects [P < 0.003]. Also, we found that a large proportion of CD8+ T lymphocytes in newly-diagnosed patients was defined by increased surface expression of CD57 as compared to the two other settings [P < 0.002]. This increase was more profound in patients with an inverted CD4/CD8 ratio. Analysis of the late activation antigen revealed that this was predominantly HLA-DR+ [P < 0.003]. No significant changes were observed in the percentages of CD8+CD57+ T cells between the different settings. Moreover, the co-stimulatory molecule CD28+ tended to be underexpressed by CD8+ T cells in multidrug resistant patients when compared to newly-diagnosed subjects [P < 0.002], but not to the control subjects. In contrast, the frequency of CD28+ marker on CD4+ T cells was higher in the setting of multidrug resistant compared with those of new cases [P < 0.0001]. No significant changes were observed in percentages of delta receptor-bearing T cells between different groups. We suggest that the increase in the proportion of CD57+ within CD8+ T cells in newly-diagnosed patients results from M.tuberculosis antigenic stimulation, which is a hallmark of many infections and that the protracted accumulation of CD57+ T lymphocytes might reflect an end-stage differentiation phenotype

Short outcome and evaluation of hemoptysis in patients with old pulmonary TB

Data concerning the evaluation of hemoptysis in patients affected by Tuberculosis backs to 1940-1960. Remarkable advances in anti TB agents together with effective treatment strategies such as DOTS [Directly Observed Treatment Short Course] has made the feature of the disease to be less associated with severe complications like hemoptysis due to bronchiectasis or fibrocavernous lesions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the short outcome of the patients with hemoptysis due to old tuberculosis and also the relation of the severity of hemoptysis with length of stay [LOS] in hospital and the severity of the pulmonary lesion in high quality imaging techniques. Forty-five patients with old TB and cardinal sign of hemoptysis were evaluated and after excluding the mycetoma and suggestive tumor formation, the coefficient correlation between the severity of hemoptysis and the LOS and also the correlation of the severity of hemoptysis and different pictures of pulmonary lesions in CT- scan were evaluated with Spearman's rho statistical analysis. All patients were discharged except one who had died because of the reasons other than asphyxia due to hemoptysis. One patient had undergone bronchial artery embolization. Pulmonary resection had been performed in none of the patients. According to the non-parametric coefficient correlation analysis, there were significant correlations between age and the first evidence of residual TB in the lung parenchyma [P=0.00, Spearman rho 0.00] and also between severity of hemoptysis and pulmonary lesions in CT scan at the level of 0.05; but no correlation was observed between the LOS and the severity of hemoptysis [P=0.0769] Hemoptysis due to old destructive pulmonary TB usually has a benign course. This is probably due to lung fibrosis and scarring caused by a prolonged inflammatory process which has led to an increase in vascular anastomosis. In old TB the source of bleeding is usually brochiectatic lesions which are directly correlated with the radiologic features found in chest- x- ray. The authors believe that although pulmonary resection in patients with life threatening hemoptysis is of considerable attention, conservative management of hemoptysis associated with arrested pulmonary TB is the first option

Evaluation of patients with infective endocarditis in a pulmonary referral centre

Despite the decreased incidence of rheumatic fever and use of prophylactic antibiotic the incidence rate of infective endocarditis has not declined. In this research, we have studied the clinical feature and therapeutic response of patients with infective endocarditis presenting with pulmonary manifestations to a pulmonary referral center. All patients with diagnosis of endocarditis that had pulmonary manifestations [based on Duke Criteria] as their primary clinical presentation were entered in this study. Data in regard to individual information, clinical features, laboratory finding and therapeutic responses were noted. All data were analysed using SPSS software [version 11.5]. A total number of twenty patients here entered the study. Mean age was 34.8 +/- 11.6 yr. The commonest clinical features included: fever [95%], cough [65%] and dyspnea [65%]. Also the commonest signs were cardiac murmurs [65%], hepatomegaly [35%] and splenomegaly [35%]. Clubbing was seen in 10%. Sixty percent of the cases were intravenous drug users and 25% were infected with HIV. Also 50% of the patients did not have any background of valvular diseases. However, there was vegetations on one valve in 75% and multiple valves were involved in 25%. The commonest valves affected were trocuspid [50%], mitral [30%] and pulmonic valve [10%]. Staphylococcus aureus [47.3%] and Streptococcus viridans [27.3%] were the commonest microorganisms detected. Pericardial effusion was present in 30% which was higher in IV drug users [p. value=0.042]. Total mortality rate in hospital was 5%. Infective endocarditis should be considered in the list of differential diagnosis in patients suffering from pulmonary symptoms especially in IV drug users

Clinical and radiological presentation of adult tuberculous spondylitis

Tuberculous spondylitis is an uncommon form of extra-pulmonary TB. Delay in establishing diagnosis and management causes spinal cord compression and spinal deformity. We studied to determine clinical and radiological presentations of this dangerous form of TB diseases. During 2002-3 years, all patients over 14 years old who hospitalized with a probable diagnosis of TB spondylitis were evaluated. Everybody with mycobacteriologic or pathologic confirmation was enrolled in study. fourteen patients met our inclusion criteria. The mean age [SD] was 39[16] year. 57% were male. Treatment delay was 8.3 months. Fever reported in 7[50%] patients. Local tenderness was reported in 92.6% of cases. PPD was positive in half of the patients. The most regions involved were T8-T12 [43%] and L1-L3 [36%] respectively. Sputum smear was surprisingly positive in 50% of cases. Most of the patients had received anti-TB drugs for 9-12 months. CT guided aspiration and biopsy of spine lead to correct diagnosis in 93% of patients. Simultaneous pulmonary involvement is evident in half of them