September 14, Kuala Lumpur: On the average, one in seven patients diagnosed with TB died within a year in a Malaysian tertiary hospital, according to a new research by Universiti Malaya headed by Dr Wong Chee Kuan. The study set out to determine the factors associated with all-cause mortality in a cohort of tuberculosis patients in a Malaysian tertiary hospital.

Records of patients diagnosed with tuberculosis from 1 January 2018 to 30 September 2019 were retrieved. Socio-demographic and clinical data were extracted from the electronic medical records and treatment outcomes and all-cause mortality were recorded a year after diagnosis. Univariate, multivariate, and stepwise regression were used to determine the factors associated with all-cause mortality.

A total of 471 patients with the mean age was 46.6 ± 19.7 years were reviewed. Results showed the all-cause mortality rate at one year of diagnosis was 15.3%. Factors identified were age, chronic kidney disease, positive HIV status, active cancer, liver disease, unknown tuberculin skin test results, and moderate to far advanced chest X-ray findings.

According to the scientists, identification of this vulnerable group using the associated factors found in this study may help to reduce the risk of mortality through early intervention strategies.

Dr Wong Chee Kuan, Dr Ng Kee Seong, Q.R. Choo,* C.J. Lee,* Y.P. Teo,* S.M. Liew,* K. Chinna, † E.M. Khoo,* W.L. Ng,* P.S.K. Tok,* Y.S. Kee,* D.M. Chiang*