Post-tuberculous chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the frequency of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) as a sequel of treated pulmonary tuberculosis. STUDY DESIGN: A case series. PLACE AND DURATION OF STUDY: Department of Pulmonology, Military Hospital, Rawalpindi, from April to November 2007. METHODOLOGY: Forty seven adults, previously treated for pulmonary tuberculosis and presenting subsequently with chronic exertional dyspnoea for which no other alternate cause was found were included. Those having a probability of re-activated TB, having history of current or previous smoking or occupational exposure, asthmatics and cases of interstitial lung disease and ischemic heart disease were excluded. Pre- and post-dilator FVC, FEV1 and FEV1/FVC were recorded in each case through simple spirometry on Spirolab-II-MIR S/N 507213. Stage and pattern of COPD was recorded. RESULTS: There were 76.5% (n=36) males. Mean age was 56.4 and 44.2 years in males and females respectively. Twenty six (55.3%) were found to have an obstructive ventilatory defect of different degrees: severe/stage III in 69.2% (n=18), moderate/stage II in 23.0 % (n=6) and mild/stage I in 5.9% (n=2). Fourteen (29.7%) were found to have a restrictive pattern and 7 (14.8%) revealed a mixed obstructive and restrictive pattern. CONCLUSION: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease can occur as one of the chronic complications of pulmonary tuberculosis and the obstructive ventilatory defect appears more common among various pulmonary function derangements.