Abstract :
Background: Tuberculosis is a global pandemic which affects millions of people every year.
The treatment of tuberculosis consists of simultaneous use of several drugs for a prolonged
period of time, therefore anti-tuberculosis treatment induced toxicity is a real problem. It is the
most common side effect leading to interruption of therapy. Wide variations have been found
in the reported incidence of hepatotoxicity during short-course chemotherapy. This study was
conducted to determine the frequency of ATT induced hepatotoxicity in pulmonary TB
patients.
Methodology: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at Gulab Devi Chest
Hospital Lahore from November 2015 to January 2016. Total 137 pulmonary TB patients were
included in this study according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Data of patients was
collected by Questionnaire. Blood samples were taken and LFTs were done. Data was analyzed
by using SPSS version 16.
Results: Data of 137 patients was taken in the study. Out of which 60 (43.8%) were male and
77 (56.2%) were female. The mean age was 40.59±16.57. 45 (32.8%) patients out of 137,
develop hepatotoxicity while 92 (67.2%) shows normal patterns of liver function. 22 (16.1%)
patients out of 137 showed elevation of serum bilirubin levels.
Conclusion: ATT induced hepatotoxicity is a frequent complication in Pulmonary
Tuberculosis patients. So, all patients put on ATT must be followed up for at least the initial
month. The patients and the treating physicians must be well-educated about the adverse effects
of the ATT, its early recognition and management.
Keyword :
Anti-tuberculosis treatment, pulmonary tuberculosis, liver function tests, hepatotoxicity