Non-tuberculous mycobacterial pleurisy: an 8-year single-centre experience in Taiwan.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with pleurisy due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), which are currently unclear.


METHODS
From 2000 to 2007, patients with NTM and Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from pleural effusion (PE) samples were identified and compared.


RESULTS
Thirty-five NTM patients and 140 tuberculosis (TB) patients were reviewed. Patients with NTM pleurisy were less likely to have lung involvement and receive anti-mycobacterial treatment compared with those with tuberculous pleurisy. NTM pleurisy had a higher PE leukocyte count and a lower percentage of lymphocytes. M. avium complex (MAC) was the most common pathogen in NTM pleurisy. Patients with MAC pleurisy were younger and tended to have more extra-pleural involvement and immune dysfunction. One-year mortality in the NTM pleurisy group was 37%, and anti-NTM treatment was associated with better survival. Patients with additional diagnostic evidence were more likely to receive anti-NTM treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
NTM pleurisy is common and has a high 1-year mortality rate. Anti-NTM treatment may provide better 1-year survival and should be considered once NTM pleurisy is diagnosed.
Shu
C-C
CC
Department of Traumatology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee
L-N
LN
Wang
J-T
JT
Chien
Y-J
YJ
Wang
J-Y
JY
Yu
C-J
CJ
D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009161:Mycobacterium / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010996:Pleural Effusion / Q000382:microbiology; D010998:Pleurisy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013534:Survival; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014396:Tuberculosis, Pleural / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000995:Antitubercular Agents