[Effect of tobacco smoking on pulmonary tuberculosis]

Tobacco increases the risk of pulmonary infection, especially tuberculosis. We try by this study to analyse this action. It's a comparative study between two groups of patients hospitalized in our department between January 2006 and June 2008. The first group was made of 30 smokers patients hospitalized because of confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. The second group consists of 30 non smokers patients and also hospitalized because of confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. Delay of diagnosis was longer in the group of smokers (3, 1 +/- 3 months versus 2 +/- 1 month with p = 0.039). The most frequent symptoms in both groups were cough and loss of weight. The biological investigations showed a high level of white blood cells with predominance of neutrophil cells especially in smokers (p = 0.024). Chest X ray showed essentially nodules in both groups. These nodules were bilateral in smokers (P = 0.045). Evolution after antituberculosis treatment was favourable for all patients. A delay of recovery (time between symptoms and recovery) was longer in smokers than in non smoker patients (p = 0.043). Pulmonary Sequels such as dyspnoea (p = 0.016) and fibrosis (p = 0.041) were most frequent in smokers. No patients had tuberculosis relapse. Tobacco may delay the recovery of pulmonary tuberculosis and may induce pulmonary sequels in spite of correctly antituberculosis treatment.