New tuberculosis research from National Taiwan University discussed
December 8th, 2008
2008 DEC 8 -- According to a study from Taipei, Taiwan, "The incidence of tuberculosis is slightly higher among heart transplantation cases than in the general population in Taiwan. Tuberculosis shows a high mortality rate ranging from 22% to 31% in transplant recipients."
"From October 1987 to October 2007, we performed 315 heart transplantations. Clinical records were reviewed for demographic data, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome. Tuberculosis was diagnosed by cultures of any body sample in association with compatible symptoms and signs. Mortality was related to tuberculosis if there was evidence of active tuberculosis at the time of death and no other etiology accounted for death. Ten patients who had received heart transplants were diagnosed as tuberculosis. There were seven pulmonary lesions and seven extrapulmonary lesions. Treatment consisted of isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol, pyrazinamide, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin. Seven patients completed the antituberculosis treatment: the median treatment duration was 1 year. Three patients developed hepatitis. There was no tuberculosis-related mortality. Ten out of a total of 315 patients (3.17%) represented a tuberculosis rate higher than that reported for the general Taiwan population (67/100,000)," wrote N.K. Chou and colleagues, National Taiwan University.
The researchers concluded: "This high mortality of infection may be completely treated by a combination of at least three drugs except pyrzinamide because of side effects and tolerance."
Chou and colleagues published the results of their research in Transplantation Proceedings (Tuberculosis After Heart Transplantation: Twenty Years of Experience in a Single Center in Taiwan. Transplantation Proceedings, 2008;40(8):2631-2633).
For additional information, contact S.S. Wang, National Taiwan University, Dept. of Surgery, 7 Chung Shan S Rd., Taipei 100, Taiwan.
The publisher of the journal Transplantation Proceedings can be contacted at: Elsevier Science Inc., 360 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10010-1710, USA.
Keywords: Taiwan, Taipei, Cardiology, Cutaneous Tuberculosis, Heart Transplant, Mycobacteria, Mycobacterium Tuberculosis, Organ Transplant, Transplantation, National Taiwan University.
This article was prepared by Tuberculosis Week editors from staff and other reports. Copyright 2008, Tuberculosis Week via NewsRx.com.
