Title
Asthma and atopy prevalence are not reduced among former tuberculosis patients compared with controls in Lima, Peru
Date Issued
13 February 2019
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Byrne A.L.
Marais B.J.
Mitnick C.D.
Garden F.L.
Contreras C.
Yauri Y.
Garcia F.
Marks G.B.
Publisher(s)
BioMed Central Ltd.
Abstract
Background: Although there are theoretical reasons for believing that asthma and atopy may be negatively correlated with tuberculosis, epidemiological studies have had conflicting findings. Objective: To determine if people with confirmed tuberculosis were less likely to be atopic and less likely to have atopic disease including asthma compared to those with no previous tuberculosis. Methods: Patients in Lima, Peru with a prior history of tuberculosis were identified from clinic records in this cohort study. A representative sample of individuals without a prior tuberculosis diagnosis was recruited from the same community. Allergen skin prick testing was performed to classify atopic status. Allergic rhinitis was identified by history. Asthma was defined by symptoms and spirometry. Eosinophilic airway inflammation was measured using exhaled nitric oxide levels. Results: We evaluated 177 patients with, and 161 individuals without, previous tuberculosis. There was a lower prevalence of atopy among people with prior tuberculosis on univariate analysis (odds ratio 0.57; 95% confidence interval 0.37-0.88) but, after adjustment for potential confounders, this was no longer statistically significant (aOR 0.64, 95% CI 0.41-1.01). The prevalence of allergic rhinitis (aOR 0.76, 95% CI 0.47 to 1.24 and asthma (aOR 1.18, 95% CI 0.69 to 2.00) did not differ significantly between the two groups. We also found no significant difference in the prevalence of elevated exhaled nitric oxide (aOR 1.30, 95% CI 0.78 to 2.17) or a combined index of atopic disease (aOR 0.86, 95% CI 0.54 to 1.36). Conclusion: In this urban environment in a middle-income country, prior tuberculosis may be associated with a reduced risk of atopy but does not protect against asthma and atopic disease.
Volume
19
Issue
1
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Sistema respiratorio
Alergia
PatologĆa
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-85061498666
PubMed ID
Source
BMC Pulmonary Medicine
ISSN of the container
14712466
Sponsor(s)
This study was supported with the generous support of the National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Centre of Research Excellence in Tuberculosis (PhD scholarship and seed funding grants), the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research (research grant) and the University of Sydney (PRSS scholarship). The funding bodies played no role in the design of the study, data collection, analysis, interpretation of data nor in the writing of the manuscript.
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción CientĆfica
Scopus