title: Mortality after Respiratory Isolation of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria. A Comparison of Patients Who Did and Did Not Meet Disease Criteria.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The mortality of patients with respiratory tract isolates of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and their risk factors for death are not well described.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine age-adjusted mortality rates for patients with respiratory NTM isolates and their causes of death and to examine whether American Thoracic Society/Infectious Diseases Society of America (ATS/IDSA) diagnostic criteria identify those at higher risk of death after NTM isolation.
  
  
  METHODS
  We linked vital records registries with a previously identified Oregon population-based cohort of patients with NTM respiratory isolation. We excluded patients with Mycobacterium gordonae (n = 33) and those who died (n = 21) at the time of first isolation. We calculated 5-year age-adjusted mortality rates. We used Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional hazards analysis to examine the association of ATS/IDSA criteria and other risk factors with death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 368 subjects with respiratory NTM isolates in 2005-2006, 316 were included in the survival analysis. Most (84%) of their cultures isolated Mycobacterium avium complex. 35.1% died in the 5 years following respiratory isolation. Five-year age-adjusted mortality rates were slightly higher for those meeting (28.7/1,000) versus not meeting (23.4/1,000) ATS/IDSA criteria. In multivariate analysis, older age (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.06; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04-1.07) and lung cancer (aHR, 2.77; 95% CI, 1.51-5.07) were associated with an increased risk of death. A trend was noted between meeting ATS/IDSA criteria and subsequent death (aHR, 1.37; 95% CI, 0.95-1.97). Among cases, male sex, older age, and immunosuppressive therapy use were independent risk factors for death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the State of Oregon, patients with NTM respiratory isolates have high mortality, regardless of whether they meet ATS/IDSA criteria for pulmonary NTM disease. Most patients die as a result of causes other than NTM infection.
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine.
authors.forename: Shannon A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Novosad
authors.affiliation: 2 School of Public Health, and.
authors.forename: Emily
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Henkle
authors.affiliation: 3 Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Sean
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schafer
authors.affiliation: 3 Public Health Division, Oregon Health Authority, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Katrina
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hedberg
authors.affiliation: 4 Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Jennifer
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ku
authors.affiliation: 2 School of Public Health, and.
authors.forename: Sarah A R
authors.initials: SAR
authors.lastname: Siegel
authors.affiliation: 2 School of Public Health, and.|5 Graduate School of Dentistry, Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Korea; and.
authors.forename: Dongseok
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.affiliation: 1 Division of Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, Department of Medicine.|6 Center to Improve Veteran Involvement in Care, VA Portland Health Care System, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Christopher G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Slatore
authors.affiliation: 2 School of Public Health, and.|4 Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon.
authors.forename: Kevin L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Winthrop
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009165:Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000401:mortality*; D009922:Oregon
keywords: mortality; natural history; nontuberculous mycobacteria