COPD and tuberculosis: Is any communication?

Abstract

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and tuberculosis (TB) are widespread in groups of infectious and noncommunicable diseases, and therefore, the combination of these diseases in patients is often enough. COPD and TB have common risk factors: the effects of smoking, biofuel on the respiratory tract, low nutritional status, hypovitaminosis D. The violation of local immunity in the bronchial tree in COPD facilitates the attachment of mycobacterium tuberculosis, and the prevalent tuberculosis processes that capture large amounts of pulmonary tissue and destructive forms, contribute to aggravation of bronchial obstructive syndrome. The use of inhaled glucocorticosteroids in COPD treatment in some categories of patients may also have adverse effects in patients with a previous history of TB. Understanding the pathogenetic processes of disease interdependence will allow to develop new approaches to the management of this category of patients that will allow several progression of the disease and affect disability and mortality.