Title
Pre-Treatment Neutrophil Count as a Predictor of Antituberculosis Therapy Outcomes: A Multicenter Prospective Cohort Study
Date Issued
2021
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Carvalho A.C.C.
Amorim G.
Melo M.G.M.
Silveira A.K.A.
Vargas P.H.L.
Moreira A.S.R.
Rocha M.S.
Souza A.B.
Araújo-Pereira M.
Figueiredo M.C.
Durovni B.
Lapa-e-Silva J.R.
Cavalcante S.
Rolla V.C.
Sterling T.R.
Cordeiro-Santos M.
Andrade B.B.
Silva E.C.
Kritski A.L.
Multinational Organization Network Sponsoring Translational and Epidemiological Research
Publisher(s)
Frontiers Media S.A.
Abstract
Background: Neutrophils have been associated with lung tissue damage in many diseases, including tuberculosis (TB). Whether neutrophil count can serve as a predictor of adverse treatment outcomes is unknown. Methods: We prospectively assessed 936 patients (172 HIV-seropositive) with culture-confirmed pulmonary TB, enrolled in a multicenter prospective cohort study from different regions in Brazil, from June 2015 to June 2019, and were followed up to two years. TB patients had a baseline visit before treatment (month 0) and visits at month 2 and 6 (or at the end of TB treatment). Smear microscopy, and culture for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) were performed at TB diagnosis and during follow-up. Complete blood counts were measured at baseline. Treatment outcome was defined as either unfavorable (death, treatment failure or TB recurrence) or favorable (cure or treatment completion). We performed multivariable logistic regression, with propensity score regression adjustment, to estimate the association between neutrophil count with MTB culture result at month 2 and unfavorable treatment outcome. We used a propensity score adjustment instead of a fully adjusted regression model due to the relatively low number of outcomes. Results: Among 682 patients who had MTB culture results at month 2, 40 (5.9%) had a positive result. After regression with propensity score adjustment, no significant association between baseline neutrophil count (103/mm3) and positive MTB culture at month 2 was found among either HIV-seronegative (OR = 1.06, 95% CI = [0.95;1.19] or HIV-seropositive patients (OR = 0.77, 95% CI = [0.51; 1.20]). Of 691 TB patients followed up for at least 18 months and up to 24 months, 635 (91.9%) were either cured or completed treatment, and 56 (8.1%) had an unfavorable treatment outcome. A multivariable regression with propensity score adjustment found an association between higher neutrophil count (103/mm3) at baseline and unfavorable outcome among HIV-seronegative patients [OR= 1.17 (95% CI= [1.06;1.30]). In addition, adjusted Cox regression found that higher baseline neutrophil count (103/mm3) was associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes overall and among HIV-seronegative patients (HR= 1.16 (95% CI = [1.05;1.27]). Conclusion: Increased neutrophil count prior to anti-TB treatment initiation was associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes, particularly among HIV-seronegative patients. Further prospective studies evaluating neutrophil count in response to drug treatment and association with TB treatment outcomes are warranted.
Volume
12
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Farmacología, Farmacia
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85110569874
PubMed ID
Source
Frontiers in Immunology
ISSN of the container
16643224
Sponsor(s)
Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia, Ministério da Saúde, Brazil and the National Institutes of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, USA. The work of AK, BA, ES, GA, AC, MF, JL, SC, VR, BD, TS, and MC-S was supported by grants from NIH (U01AI069923, R01AI120790). BA, AK, and JL are senior scientists from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientıfí co e Tecnológico (CNPq). MM received a scholarship from CNPq. MA received a scholarship from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB). MA-P received a research fellowship from the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nı́vel Superior (CAPES, finance code: 001). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus