title: The value of initial cavitation to predict re-treatment with pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Pulmonary cavitation is the classic hallmark of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) and is the site of very high mycobacterial burden associated with antimycobacterial drug resistance and treatment failure. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between re-treatment PTB and initial pulmonary cavitation coordinated with other clinical factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We conducted a case-control study of 291 newly diagnosed cases of pulmonary TB in The Infectious Hospital of Wuxi from Dec 2009 to Dec 2011 with complete follow-up information until December 31st of 2014. 68 patients were followed-up with PTB re-treatment; the rest of the PTB patients (n = 223) had completed anti-TB treatment, and cured without re-treatment were selected as controls.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The univariate analysis [hazard ratio (HR) 1.885, 95 % CI 1.170-3.035, P = 0.009] and the multivariable analysis (HR 2.242, 95 % CI 1.294-3.882, P = 0.004) demonstrated that the initial pulmonary cavitation was a prognostic predictor for TB re-treatment. Additionally, the re-treatment rates in PTB patients with cavitation and no-cavitation were 27.1 and 15.5 %, respectively, with significant difference (log-rank test; P = 0.010). Other factors, age of ≥60 and history of smoking, were also prognostic variables.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initial pulmonary cavitation of chest X-ray was a significant predictor for PTB re-treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Medicine, The Second People's Hospital of Huishan, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Qiusheng
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Radiology department, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yongmei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yin
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Shougang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kuai
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Yan
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: YingYing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Zhongbao
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Shan
authors.affiliation: Radiology department, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Lan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China. peihao1008@126.com.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Pei
authors.affiliation: Center of clinical laboratory, The Fifth People's Hospital of Wuxi, Affiliated to Jiangnan University, Wuxi, 214005, Jiangsu, China. j.wang1988@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D011379:Prognosis; D054060:Pulmonary Infarction / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019233:Retreatment; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: Cavitation; Pulmonary tuberculosis; Re-treatment