Serup McKenzie (sheepcable3)
lead to delayed presentation. The paradoxical reaction is very common but most of it subsided spontaneously. The yield of mycobacteria is shown to be very low in pleural effusions as it is a pauci-bacillary disease. The present study looked at the yield of mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) in terms of GeneXpert for acid fast bacilli (AFB) and culture using a medical thoracoscopy guided biopsy and analysed whether the yield increases in more complicated effusions. This is a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent medical thoracoscopy for tubercular pleural effusions at our institute over the last 5-years. Patients who had no or minimal thin septations were considered as simple effusions and were subjected to semi-rigid thoracoscopy (n=61). While patients who had multiple loculations and thick septations were considered as complicated effusions and were subjected to rigid thoracoscopy (n=64). We considered granuloma on a biopsy as the standard for diagnosis of Tuberculosis (TB). Xpert MTB/RIF and The BACTEC MGIT was used for culture. Out 125 patients with granulomatous inflammation on biopsy, 56 (44.8%) were positive for either GeneXpert or culture for MTB. Only GeneXpert was positive in 43 and only culture was positive in 13. Amongst 61 patients with simple effusion, 14 had either GeneXpert for AFB or AFB culture being positive and 9 out of these patients had GeneXpert for MTB detected on biopsy sample. Only culture was positive in 5 patients. In complicated pleural effusion group either GeneXpert or culture for mycobacterium was positive in 42 (65.6%) out of 64 patients. Only GeneXpert was positive in 34 and culture alone was positive in 8 patients. The yield of MTB increases as the pleural effusion becomes more complicated. GeneXpert in a biopsy sample is a useful marker for MTB yield especially in a complicated effusion. The yield of MTB increases as the pleural effusion becomes more complicated. GeneXpert in a biopsy sample is a useful marker for MTB yield especially in a complicated effusion. After completion of treatment of Tuberculosis (TB), many patients can have long-term physical sequelae, which in some cases results in life-long impairment and further stigma. To determine the follow up status and quality of life of post-treatment among Category 2 TB patients under RNTCP and to explore the factors affecting the Quality of Life. The present study was done in urban area of Villupuram district of Tamil Nadu using Exploratory mixed methods study design. In the first phase case-control study was conducted with 100 post treatment category 2 TB patients (cases) and 100 non-TB patients (controls) matched for age and gender. The quality of life of the respondents was assessed by (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire (Quantitative), followed by five in-depth interviews among cases with extreme scores (Qualitative). The mean scores of "perceived physical health" and "perceived psychological health" among cases after completion of treatment was significantly lower than the mean scores in controls. The determinants for perceived physical health were age, years of education and marital status. The determinants for psychological health were age, marital status and associated comorbidities. click here In-depth interview explored that major perspectives of cases affecting quality of life were side effects of drugs, loss of social support, loss of employment and psychological factors like anxiety, depression. HR-QOL among post treatment TB patients was reduced. Efforts should be made to counsel TB patients, family members, relatives and their workplace regarding their care, support and challenges to have a reasonable QOL. HR-QOL among post treatment TB patients was reduced. Efforts should be made to counsel TB patients, family members, relatives and their workplace regarding their care, support and challenges to have a reasonable