Clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with tuberculosis and schizophrenia

Abstract

The clinicopathologic characteristics of patients with tuberculosis (TB) and schizophrenia are unclear. In order to facilitate early diagnosis and prompt treatment, a retrospective study was conducted in China. Subjects were 54 consecutive patients who were seen between October 2006 and December 2015. Data on demographic characteristics, underlying diseases, clinical features, and outcomes were collected from medical records using a standardized data collection form. Acid-fast bacilli were detected at a rate of 26.9%, a mycobacterial culture was positive at a rate of 35.4%, and a real-time polymerase chain reaction was positive for TB at a rate of 35%. Of the 54 patients, i) 44 (81.5%) had symptoms for at least 2 weeks; ii) 10 (18.5%) were transferred from a local psychiatric hospital, and 23 (42.6%) were transferred at least twice before arriving at this Hospital. Unfortunately, the outcome was not successful in these patients, 18 patients (33.3%) had to be retreated, 7 patients (13.0%) had their care interrupted because their schizophrenia worsened. The current study found that the management of TB in patients with schizophrenia poses several challenges. These include delays in diagnosis and treatment of TB, inefficient strategies for control of TB transmission in psychiatric hospitals, the need for a psychiatrist to be involved in care, and a high rate of retreatment.