Antiretroviral treatment-associated tuberculosis in a prospective cohort of HIV-infected patients starting ART

Clin Dev Immunol. 2011:2011:758350. doi: 10.1155/2011/758350. Epub 2010 Dec 8.

Abstract

Commencement of antiretroviral treatment (ART) in severely immunosuppressed HIV-infected persons is associated with unmasking of subclinical disease. The subset of patients that are diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) disease while on ART have been classified as ART-associated TB. Few studies have reported the incidence of ART-associated TB and unmasking TB-IRIS according to the International Network for the Study of HIV-Associated IRIS (INSHI) consensus definition. To determine the incidence and predictors of ART-associated TB, we screened 219 patients commencing ART at the Infectious Diseases Clinic in Kampala, Uganda for TB by symptoms, sputum microscopy, and chest X-rays and followed them for one year. Fourteen (6.4%) patients were diagnosed with TB during followup. Eight (3.8%) patients had ART-associated TB (incidence rate of 4.3 per 100 person years); of these, three patients fulfilled INSHI criteria for unmasking TB-associated IRIS (incidence rate of 1.6 per 100 person years). A body mass index of less than 18.5 kg/m(2) BMI (HR 5.85 95% CI 1.24-27.46, P = .025) and a C-reactive protein greater than 5 mg/L (HR 8.23 95% CI 1.36-38.33, P = .020) were risk factors for ART-associated TB at multivariate analysis. In conclusion, with systematic TB screening (including culture and chest X-ray), the incidence of ART-associated TB is relatively low in settings with high HIV and TB prevalence.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / complications
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / drug therapy
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / epidemiology
  • AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / mortality
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome* / complications
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome* / drug therapy
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome* / epidemiology
  • Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome* / mortality
  • Adult
  • Anti-HIV Agents / administration & dosage
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use
  • Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active* / adverse effects
  • Body Mass Index
  • C-Reactive Protein / analysis
  • CD4 Lymphocyte Count
  • Cohort Studies
  • Female
  • HIV Seropositivity* / complications
  • HIV Seropositivity* / drug therapy
  • HIV*
  • Humans
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome* / drug therapy
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome* / etiology
  • Immune Reconstitution Inflammatory Syndrome* / physiopathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Prospective Studies
  • Risk Factors
  • Tuberculosis* / complications
  • Tuberculosis* / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis* / epidemiology
  • Tuberculosis* / mortality
  • Uganda / epidemiology
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • C-Reactive Protein