Respiratory failure in tuberculosis: a modern perspective.
Acute respiratory failure is more common in miliary tuberculosis than in tuberculous bronchopneumonia and also has a worse prognosis. Chronic hypercapnic respiratory failure is frequent after both spinal tuberculosis and surgical treatments for pulmonary tuberculosis. It may develop insidiously or present acutely, for instance, during a chest infection. Hypoventilation appears during REM sleep before non-REM sleep or wakefulness and is readily treatable with non-invasive ventilation. The prognosis is good even if initially tracheostomy ventilation is required temporarily.
Respiratory Support and Sleep Centre, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge. john.shneerson@papworth.nhs.uk
John M
JM
Shneerson
D000208:Acute Disease; D006801:Humans; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000209:etiology; D011379:Prognosis; D012121:Respiration, Artificial; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013905:Thoracoplasty; D014391:Tuberculosis, Miliary / Q000150:complications*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications* / Q000601:surgery; D014399:Tuberculosis, Spinal / Q000150:complications