Significance of frequent spirometry test in treated pulmonary tuberculosis patients in tertiary care teaching hospital

Abstract

Tuberculosis is one of the most important communicable disease, which poses a global public health threat and remains the leading cause of death among infectious diseases, especially in undeveloped and developing countries.It was a prospective, observational, hospital based study conducted in the department of Respiratory Medicine, IPGMER SSKM Hospital, Kolkata from January 2020 to December 2020. Atotal of 80 cases, with history of adequately treated one episode of pulmonary tuberculosis, were included in this study.According to pulmonary function test results, 30(37.5%) patients had obstructive pattern and 11(13.8%) had restrictive pattern, in spirometry. Another 15(18.8%) patients had, mixed obstructive/restrictive pattern, while in rest 24 (30%) patients, spirometry test results were normal. The distribution of various pulmonary function test results among patients with obstructive pattern (N=30), ATT completion history was 7.57 ± 2.77 years back in average. Whereas average duration of symptoms in them was found to be 4.03 ± 1.96 years. For patients with restrictive pattern (N=11), these durations were 10.91 ± 2.51years and 7.59 ± 2.35 years respectively. Patients with mixed pattern (N=15), both durations were 11.33 ± 3.50 years and 7.33 ± 2.94 years respectively. Whereas among patients with normal lung function (N=24), ATT completion duration was 2.83 ± 2.21 years and symptom onset duration was 0.63 ± 0.34 years.There was emphatically found thatduration of anti-tubercular treatment, duration of symptoms and pulmonary function abnormalities. Hence clinical suspicion, early diagnosis and early treatment strategy are required to prevent further deterioration of pulmonary function in treated Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients. So, frequent or annual spirometry is required in these patients.