Lower Lung Field Tuberculosis: Observation from Yenagoa, Nigeria.

Background: This study, undertaken in a major tertiary hospital in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria, was designed to examine the incidence of lower lung field tuberculosis in HIV infected and uninfected patients, and in diabetic patients as well as their AFB status and outcome of treatment. Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2013, admission records, HIV status, chest radiographs findings, blood glucose levels and AFB status of all pulmonary tuberculosis patients seen in our hospital were retrieved and retrospectively analyzed according to HIV status, AFB status, chest radiographs findings and blood glucose levels. All the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who had lesions below an arbitrary line across the hila region in their chest PA radiograph were included in the study as cases of lower lung field tuberculosis. Results: Of the 596 pulmonary tuberculosis patients reviewed, 76 (12.8%) had lower lung field tuberculosis. It was more common in females (14.1%) than in males (10.9%). Majority of the patients (57.9%) were in the 24-34 years age groups. HIV infected cases had significantly higher occurrence at 46.4%. Diabetic patients had an incidence of 15.0%. Bilateral disease was more common (74.6%) and when unilateral the right side was more affected (51.4%). The main radiological findings were cavitation (44.7%), fibrosis (30.6%) and nodular opacities (22.3%). Conclusion: HIV infection and diabetes mellitus increase the risk of lower lung field pulmonary tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis pulmonar de campos inferiores / Lower lung field tuberculosis

La tuberculosis (TB) que compromete sólo los campos pulmonares inferiores (TBCI) es poco frecuente en el adulto y en general está asociada a alguna causa de inmunodepresión. El objetivo de nuestro trabajo fue determinar la incidencia de TBCI en nuestra población y comparar sus características respecto de la TB pulmonar de localización habitual. Se estudiaron en forma retrospectiva en el período de 2004 a 2008, 42 pacientes con TBCI que fueron comparados con 84 pacientes con TB pulmonar de localización habitual (grupo control). Se excluyeron pacientes con HIV. La TBCI representó el 6% del total de TB pulmonar. No se encontraron diferencias significativas en cuanto a edad, sexo, presencia de cavidades en la radiografía, días de evolución y nivel de albúmina. La TBCI tuvo significativamente mayor proporción de comorbilidades (p < 0.001), presencia de condensación (p < 0.001) y compromiso unilateral (p < 0.001) en la radiografía de tórax, junto con mayor número de internaciones (p = 0.02). Cabe destacar que sólo16 de los 42 pacientes con TBCI (38%) tenían alguna comorbilidad demostrada. La TBCI puede presentarse aun sin comorbilidades asociadas y debe sospecharse en neumonías de evolución tórpida independientemente de su localización.

Tuberculosis (TB) that affects lower lung fields (LLFTB) is infrequent in the adult population and is generally associated with immunodeficiency. The objective of our study was to determine the incidence of LLFTB in our patients population and compare the characteristics of these patients with those who presented TB of typical pulmonary localization. We studied 42 patients with LLFTB retrospectively between 2004 and 2008 and compared them to 84 patients with TB of typical localization (control group). HIV-positive patients were excluded. LLFTB represented 6% of the pulmonary TB cases. No significant differences were found with respect to age, sex, the presence of cavities in chest x-rays, days of evolution, and albumin levels. LLFTB had a significantly greater proportion of comorbilities (p < 0.001), the presence of condensation (p < 0.001), and unilateral involvement (p < 0.001), with a higher number of hospital admissions (p = 0.02). The observation that only 16 of the 42 patients with LLFTB (38%) had a notable comorbility is important. Thus, LLFTB can be present without associated comorbilities and must be suspected in pneumonias that have a torpid evolution regardless of pulmonary localization.

Clinical Review of Pulmonary Tuberculosis in Teenagers According to the Involved Lung / 소아감염

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate clinical features and culture-positive rates according to the involved lung in adolescent pulmonary tuberculosis (TB). METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of adolescents who ranged in age from 10 to 20 years and who had been hospitalized with a diagnosis of TB at Kwangju Christian Hospital from 2000 to 2008. RESULTS: Sixty-six patients were identified with pulmonary TB: median age 16.82 years; 48.5% males. Among them, 90.9% of patients were between 15 and 20 years of age. Most patients presented with multiple symptoms, and the most common included cough (74.2%), sputum (60.6%), fever (39.5%), and night sweating (18.2%). Sputum samples were smear-positive in 28 (42.4%), culture-positive in 40 (60.6%), and PCR-positive in 46 (69.7%). The most common radiological patterns included cavitation in 18 (27.3%), pleural effusion in 18 (27.3%), lymphadenopathy in 10 (15.2%), and tuberculoma in 5 (7.6%). The prevalence of smear, culture, and PCR positive rates increased as the number of involved lobes increased (P<0.05, P<0.01, P<0.05). The median treatment duration was 7 months. Twelve patients (18.2%) had lower lung field TB (Group A) and forty-four patients (66.7%) had other areas involving TB, except for Group A (Group B), and ten patients (15.1%) had only TB pleurisy (Group C). The difference of clinical characteristics and culture rates between group A and group B was not significant. CONCLUSION: Pulmonary TB toward late adolescence is increasing. We need to pay more attention to lower lung field TB, which is difficult to detect with specific radiographic findings.

Lower Lung Field Tuberculosis / 결핵

BACKGROUND: Postprimary pulmonary tuberculosis is located mainly in upper lobes. The tuberculous lesion involving the lower lobes usually arises from the upper lobe cavity through endobronchial spread. When tuberculosis is confined to the lower lung field, it often masquerades as pneumonia, lung cancer, bronchiectasis, or lung ahscess. Thus the correct diagnosis may be sometimes delayed for a long time. METHODS: We carried out, retrospectively, a clinical study on 50 patients confirmed with lower lung field tuberculosis who visited the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at Hanyang University Hospital from January 1992 to December 1994. The following results were obtained. RESULTS: Lower lung field tuberculosis without concomitant upper lobe disease occurred in fifty patients representing 6.9% of the total admission with active pulmonary tuberculosis over a period of 3 years. It occurred most frequently in the third decade but age distribution was relatively even. The mean age was 43 years old. Female was more frequently affected than male (male to female ratio 1:1.9). The most common symptom was cough(68%), followed by sputum(52%), fever(38%), and chest discomfort(30%). On chest X-ray of the S0patients, consolidation was the most common finding in 52%, followed by solitary nodule(22%), collapse(16%), cavitary lesion(l0%), in decreasing order. The disease confined to the right side in 25 cases, left side 20 cases, and both sides 5 cases. Endobronchial tuberculosis (1) Endobronchial involvement was proved by bronchoscopic examination in 20 of S0patients. (2) Mean age was 44years old and female was more affected than man (male to female ratio 1 : 3). Sputum AFB stain and Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture were positive only in 50% of cases unlikely upper lobe tuberculosis, additional diagnostic methods were needed. In our study, bronchoscopic examination and percutaneous fine needle aspiration biopsy increased diagnostic yield by 18% and 32%, respectively. The most common associated condition was diabetes mellitus(18%) and others were anemia, anorexia nervosa, stomach cancer, and systemic steroid usage. CONCLUSION: When we find a lower lung field lesion, we should suspect tuberculosis if the patient has diabetes mellitus, anemia, systemic steroid usage, malignancy or other immune suppressed states. Because diagnostic yield of sputum AFB smear & Mycobacterium tuberculosis culture was low, additional diagnostic methods such as bronchoscopy and fine needle aspiration biopsy were needed.