Airflow Obstruction in Post-tuberculosis Lung Disease: A 5-year Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE

Post tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD) manifests in various forms, including tuberculosis-associated chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (TB-COPD), yet the clinical features of PTLD remain undercharacterized. This study aimed to assess longitudinal changes in lung function over a 5-year period and to identify predictors of airflow obstruction in a cohort of patients treated for active pulmonary TB.

METHODS

Patients with active pulmonary TB were enrolled in this study and were followed during treatment, at treatment completion and five years post-treatment. Assessments included lung function and chest CT, analyzing longitudinal trends and airflow obstruction risk factors.

RESULTS

Among 53 patients (mean age 36.9 ± 13.9 years; 64.2% male), 7 patients (13.2%) exhibited airflow obstruction. At the 5-year follow-up, the mean FEV 1/FVC declined significantly (76.27% ± 12.04% vs. 80.23% ± 11.02%, P < 0.001) and 9 patients (17.0%) exhibited airflow obstruction. Seven of these patients predominantly showed air trapping consistent with small airway disease on chest CT, aligning with TB-COPD phenotype. Notably, four young-to-middle-aged patients (< 60 years old) had persistent obstruction over the five years.

CONCLUSION

The initial test revealed that 13.2% of patients presented with airflow obstruction. By the 5-year follow-up, this proportion had increased to 17.0%, with most cases demonstrating imaging findings aligning with TB-COPD, even among younger, non-smoking individuals. These findings emphasize the importance of long-term follow-up and routine lung function assessments in TB survivors.