Tuberculosis · 2018 · 12 citations · 0 references
<b>Background:</b> Tuberculosis (TB) is associated with frequent pulmonary damages despite microbiological cure. Patients with treated TB may remain lifelong sufferers of disabling sequelae of the disease which subsequently impair their quality of life. <b>Objective:</b> To study the post TB sequelae in patients treated for TB at a tertiary care hospital of a high TB burden country. <b>Methods:</b> An observational study on patients treated for TB at outpatient pulmonology clinics of Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi Pakistan from Jan 20015 to Dec 2016. Clinic records and chest x-rays were reviewed for post TB sequelae. <b>Results:</b> A total of 155 patients were treated, 56 % male and 93% were new cases. Cure rate was 80%. Post treatment chest X-ray was available in 117(75.4%) patients during the period of 1 year. Only 11(9%) patients had complete resolution. 106 (91%) patients developed post treatment parenchymal and pleural sequelae. 65% had unilateral changes. The sequelae were unilateral fibrosis with loss of lung volume 33%, unilateral pleural thickening with fibrosis and volume loss 14%, bilateral fibrosis and loss of lung volume 9.4%, unilateral bronchiectasis with fibrosis 6%, bilateral bronchiectasis with fibrosis 6% and bilateral pleural thickening with fibrosis 6%. <b>Conclusion:</b> The post TB sequelae are alarmingly high in our study and were a cause of persistent respiratory symptoms. Treating tuberculosis is not the end but the debilitating complications post treatment has more deleterious psychosocial and financial impact. It is important to be aware of the full spectrum of these disorders to facilitate early diagnosis and management.