TB infection decreases asthma prevalence and severity of symptoms

Abstract

Introduction: In clinical practice, it was observed that TB patients rarely develop bronchial asthma.

Objectives: To compare asthma prevalence in TB and non-TB patients.

To compare the number of asthma attacks and severity before and after TB infection.

Design and settings: The study was performed in 2013 on 322 adult TB Sudanese patients ( 194 from Khartoum and 128 from Kosti ). Subjects had completed a questionnaire containing data about incidence, number of attacks and severity of asthma.

The prevalence of asthma in TB patients was compared to reference asthma prevalence in non-TB subjects. The number of asthma attacks and severity of symptoms before and after development of TB were compared.

Results: In Khartoum: The prevalence of asthma in TB patients was 5% compared to 10% in non-TB patients (1). 80% of asthmatic TB patients had developed asthma before TB. 88% of asthmatic TB patients had reported an increase in the umber of asthma attacks before TB and 75% had reported an increase in asthma severity before they developed TB.

In Kosti: The prevalence of asthma in TB patients was 5% compared to 6.4% in non-TB patients (1). 86% of asthmatic TB patients had developed asthma before TB. All asthmatic TB patients had reported an increase in number of asthma attacks before TB and 83% had reported an increase in asthma severity before they developed TB

Conclusion: It had been found that TB infection decreased asthma prevalence, number of attacks and severity of symptoms.