title: Functional profile of patients with tuberculosis sequelae in a university hospital.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe data related to the pulmonary function of patients with sequelae of pulmonary tuberculosis, pleural tuberculosis or both.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the outpatient clinic of a university hospital, 218 patients were evaluated. Of those 218, 56 had sequelae of tuberculosis (pulmonary, pleural or both), and 162 had other types of tuberculosis. All patients were evaluated in the pulmonary function laboratory between February 2000 and July 2004, and 43 were found to be eligible for inclusion in the study. Patients with a history of asthma, chronic pulmonary obstructive disease, cardiac insufficiency, collagen diseases, silicosis or thoracic surgery, as well as those for whom spirometry yielded unacceptable results or was not performed, were excluded. The lung fields were divided into six zones, and radiographic results were classified by degree: I (involvement of only one zone with no cavitation); II (involvement of two or three zones or of one zone with cavitation); or III (extensive involvement of three or more zones with or without cavitation).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final study sample comprised 50 patients, 44 (88%) of whom had pulmonary tuberculosis. The most prevalent form (17/50; 34%) was mixed ventilatory disturbance. Severe disturbances were more significant in degree III radiographs (p = 0.0002) and normal pulmonary function was predominant among patients presenting degree I and II radiographs (p = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The early discovery and treatment of tuberculosis contribute to reduce the number of cases, as well as the incidence of tuberculosis sequelae, thereby improving the quality of life of tuberculosis patients. Further studies, involving longitudinal, sequential analysis and larger samples of patients with tuberculosis sequelae, should be conducted in referral centers in Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Hospital das Clínicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Lucia Maria Macedo
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Nara
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Sulmonett
authors.forename: Cid Sergio
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Juliana Fulgêncio
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Henriques
authors.forename: Silvana Spíndola
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: de Miranda
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000150:complications*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications*