title: Clinical characteristics and prognosis of nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease with different radiographic patterns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The clinical characteristics and prognostic impact of radiographic patterns of patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) are rarely evaluated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients with NTM-LD from 2007 to 2009 in a single medical center in Taiwan were identified. Their radiographic patterns were reviewed and classified into cavitary, bronchiectatic, or consolidative. They were also compared to patients with cavitary pulmonary tuberculosis (TB-LD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 481 NTM-LD patients identified, 62, 134, and 56 patients were categorized into cavitary, bronchiectatic, and consolidative groups, respectively. Compared with 180 TB-LD patients, cavitary NTM-LD had male predominance and was associated with higher grades of sputum acid-fast smear (3+ or 4+), prior pulmonary TB, and poor baseline pulmonary function. NTM-LD patients with consolidative pattern were likely to have underlying comorbidity, the highest blood leukocyte count and C-reactive protein, and lowest albumin. In all NTM-LD, the consolidative pattern was independently associated with poor prognosis for 6-month survival. Patients with cavitary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC)-LD had worse 6-month survival than those with bronchiectatic pattern.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In Taiwan, NTM-LD patients with consolidative pattern have the worst prognosis while patients with cavitary pattern have worse survival than those with bronchiectasis in MAC-LD. Because varying radiographic patterns represent different prognoses, understanding the characteristics of NTM-LD patients with different radiographic patterns complements clinical practice.
authors.affiliation: Department of Traumatology, Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Chin-Chung
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Shu
authors.forename: Chih-Hsin
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Chia-Lin
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Jann-Tay
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jann-Yuan
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Chong-Jen
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: Li-Na
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008168:Lung / Q000382:microbiology; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000145:classification* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D015269:Mycobacterium avium Complex / Q000302:isolation & purification; D011379:Prognosis; D011859:Radiography; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012709:Serum Albumin / Q000378:metabolism; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D012709:Serum Albumin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein