Quality of Life and Pulmonary Impairment in Patients Cured for Tuberculosis: Gender Differences

Abstract

PURPOSE Worldwide, tuberculosis is more prevalent in men than in women. The aim of the study was to define any gender-related differences in quality of life (QoL) and pulmonary impairment in patients diagnosed and treated for pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS In consecutive fashion, we investigated 309 patients cured for pulmonary tuberculosis (191 males and 118 females) who were observed at the local dispensaries. QoL was studied by St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and UCSD Shortness of Breath Questionnaire (SOBQ). Pulmonary function was studied by spirometry. RESULTS In females and males age was 51,0A+/-16,5 years vs. 50,1A+/-12,8 years (respectively, p>0.05); FEV1 was 81,2A+/-24,0% vs. 82,0A+/-24,7% (p>0.05); FVC was 98,8A+/-21,3% vs. 95,7A+/-21,9% (p>0.05); FEV1/FVC was 0,75A+/-0,11 vs. 0,69A+/-0,14 (p<0.001); SGRQ Symptoms scores were 24,4A+/-24,3% vs. 28,7A+/-24,6% (difference was 4,3 points; p>0.05); SGRQ Activity scores were 31,5A+/-23,0% vs. 26,9A+/-23,4% (difference was 4,6 points; p>0.05); SGRQ Impact scores were 18,5A+/-19,5% vs. 15,8A+/-19,4% (difference was 2,6 points ; p>0.05); SGRQ Total scores were 23,2A+/-19,8% vs. 21,2A+/-20,2% (difference was 2 points ; p>0.05); SOBQ scores were 17,8A+/-19,4% vs. 13,3A+/-16,4% (difference was 4,5 points; p<0.05). The prevalence of airway obstruction (FEV1/FVC <0.7) was 46,1% in males and 28,8% in females (OR 2.1; CI 95% 1.29 to 3.44; p<0.05). The prevalence of low pulmonary function (FEV1<80%) was 40,3% in males and 33,1% in females (OR 1.37; CI 95% 0.85 to 2.21; p>0.05). We compared 52 FEV1-matched women and men with FEV1 65,4% and 65,4% (respectively, p>0.05). In females and males FEV1/FVC was 0,68A+/-0,12 vs 0,63A+/-0,12 (p<0.05); SGRQ Symptoms scores were 32,7A+/-29,2% vs 36,3A+/-25,7% (difference was -3,6 points; p>0.05); SGRQ Activity scores were 40,2A+/-21,6% vs 34,3A+/-25,0% (difference was 5,9 points ; p>0.05); SGRQ Impact scores were 26,5A+/-20,2% vs 20,5A+/-20,6% (difference was 6,0 points ; p>0.05); SGRQ Total scores were 31,4A+/-20,2% vs 27,2A+/-21,5% (difference was 4,2 points; p>0.05); SOBQ scores were 23,0A+/-22,3% vs 18,9A+/-18,5% (difference was 4,1 points; p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Pulmonary function was a bit more impairment in males. Women had worse health status, reflected in worse SOBQ score. Comparisons matched by predicted FEV1 showed that men had worse airways obstruction but women had worse health status, reflected in worse SGRQ scores.