Tuberculosis among patients attending Thamar University AlWahdah Teaching Hospital

Abstract

Background: Globally, tuberculosis (TB) remains the leading cause of death from a single infectious disease. It is a major public health problem in Yemen. However, there is few information about TB in Dhamar Governorate. Aim: This work studied some selected demographic and medical characteristics of TB patients who attended Thamar University Al-Wahdah Teaching Hospital (TUWTH) in Dhamar Governorate between 2018 and 2019. Methods: A retrospective hospital-based study was conducted on TB Patients at the Internal Medicine Department of TUWTH. Demographic data and medical information were collected from patients' files and records. The collected data were analyzed using Chi square or Fisher extract tests to find out the association between the studied variables and acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smear findings. Results: One hundred and eighty (180) TP patients who had eighth information in patients' files and records during the study period. Most of them were males (n =105/180, 58.3%), aged 41 to > 60 years (n = 130/180, 73.3%), had low socioeconomic status (n = 154/180, 85.6%) and from Jahran District (101/180, 56.1%). Majority of the TB-types cases recorded were new cases (171/180, 95.0%). Medical history of diabetes mellitus; other chronic diseases; contact with TB cases; and using immunosuppressive drugs were reported among 23.9%, 21.70%, 10.60, 3.9% of the patients, respectively. While, 27.80% had a history of smoking habit. The findings revealed that possessing a history of using the immunosuppressive drugs, contact with confirmed TB cases and smoking habit were significantly associated with AFB smears findings (positive vs. negative results: 71.4% vs. 28.6%; 52.6% vs. 47.4%; and 28.0% vs.72.0%, respectively). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to provide the health authorities with essential information and simple profile about patients TB in the study area.