Table 1 Clinical characteristics, radiographic patterns, and laboratory data of treated and untreated groups
From: Outcome of untreated lung nodules with histological but no microbiological evidence of tuberculosis
All patients (n = 107) | Treated group (n = 40) | Untreated group (n = 67) | P value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Age (year) | 56.3 ± 13.4 | 55.5 ± 12.4 | 56.8 ± 14.0 | 0.629 |
Male gender | 64 (60) | 26 (65) | 38 (57) | 0.398 |
Clinically asymptomatic | 54 (51) | 17 (43) | 37 (55) | 0.203 |
Previous history of tuberculosis | 0.272 | |||
No | 95 (89) | 38 (95) | 57 (85) | |
Yes, treatment status unknown | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (2) | |
Yes, treated | 11 (10) | 2 (5) | 9 (13) | |
Biopsy method | 0.090 | |||
Bronchoscopy | 6 (6) | 1 (3) | 5 (8) | |
CT-guided | 33 (31) | 18 (45) | 15 (22) | |
Echo-guided | 3 (3) | 1 (3) | 2 (3) | |
Surgery | 65 (61) | 20 (50) | 45 (67) | |
Histology | ||||
Granulomatous inflammation | 106 (99) | 40 (100) | 66 (99) | > 0.999 |
Caseous necrosis | 55 (51) | 31 (78) | 24 (36) | < 0.001 |
Lymph node sampling | 32 (30) | 3 (8) | 29 (43) | < 0.001 |
Lymph node involvement | 13 (12) | 2 (5) | 11 (16) | 0.125 |
Concomitant malignancy | 18 (17) | 2 (5) | 16 (24) | 0.012 |
Mycobacterial culture | ||||
Tissue culture performed | 68 (64) | 21 (53) | 47 (70) | 0.066 |
Sputum culture performed | 81 (76) | 33 (83) | 48 (72) | 0.205 |
Either one | 91 (85) | 34 (85) | 57 (85) | 0.992 |
Comorbidity | ||||
Malignancy | 37 (35) | 6 (15) | 31 (46) | 0.001 |
Diabetes mellitus | 11 (10) | 2 (5) | 9 (13) | 0.204 |
ESRD under regular hemodialysis | 2 (2) | 1 (3) | 1 (2) | > 0.999 |
Liver cirrhosis | 2 (2) | 2 (5) | 0 | 0.138 |
Organ transplant recipient | 2 (2) | 1 (3) | 1 (2) | > 0.999 |
Autoimmune disease | 2 (2) | 0 | 2 (3) | 0.527 |
Hepatitis B virus infection | 8 (8) | 3 (8) | 5 (8) | > 0.999 |
HIV infection | 2 (2) | 2 (5) | 0 | 0.138 |
Alcoholism | 1 (1) | 1 (3) | 0 | 0.374 |
Main findings on chest CT | ||||
Multiple nodules | 78 (73) | 33 (83) | 45 (67) | 0.084 |
Solitary nodule | 29 (27) | 7 (18) | 22 (33) | 0.084 |
Lesion size > 3 cm | 9 (8) | 2 (5) | 7 (10) | 0.400 |
Associate findingsa | ||||
Cavitation | 3 (3) | 0 | 3 (5) | 0.291 |
Ground glass opacity | 20 (19) | 9 (23) | 11 (16) | 0.435 |
Calcification | 22 (21) | 9 (23) | 13 (19) | 0.701 |
Fibrosis | 36 (34) | 15 (38) | 21 (31) | 0.514 |
Bronchiectasis | 13 (12) | 5 (13) | 8 (12) | > 0.999 |
Mediastinal LAP | 72 (67) | 25 (63) | 47 (70) | 0.415 |
Lab data | ||||
Albumin (g/dL)b | 4.2 ± 0.6 | 4.4 ± 0.5 | 4.1 ± 0.6 | 0.005 |
Hemoglobin (mg/dL) | 13.0 ± 1.8 | 13.4 ± 1.6 | 12.8 ± 1.9 | 0.091 |
Leukocyte count (K/uL) | 7.2 ± 3.4 | 7.2 ± 4.1 | 7.2 ± 3.0 | 0.968 |
Segment (%) | 62.4 ± 10.2 | 61.5 ± 9.9 | 62.9 ± 10.4 | 0.479 |
Band (%) | 0.05 ± 0.30 | 0.10 ± 0.47 | 0.02 ± 0.12 | 0.293 |
Lymphocyte (%) | 29.0 ± 9.2 | 30.8 ± 8.8 | 27.9 ± 9.2 | 0.120 |
CRP (mg/dL)c | 3.1 ± 5.5 | 2.8 ± 3.2 | 3.2 ± 5.9 | 0.824 |
Death during follow up period | 11 (10) | 3 (8) | 8 (12) | 0.464 |
Mean follow-up duration (days) | 1395.3 ± 217.0 | 1440.4 ± 85.5 | 1368.4 ± 263.4 | 0.097 |
Developing active tuberculosis | 1 (1) | 0 | 1 (2) | > 0.999 |