Mortality after anti-tuberculosis treatment completion: results of long-term follow-up

Mycobacterium tuberculosis affects the lung parenchyma even after successful treatment.

To assess long-term mortality in a cohort of individuals who had recovered from tuberculosis (TB), and to compare their mortality rate and causes of death with those of the general population.

This retrospective cohort study of all Israeli citizens who recovered from tuberculosis between 2000 and 2010 included all patient files and death certificates and/or hospitalisation records of deceased individuals. Death rates were computed using standard mortality rates (SMR). Cox proportional hazard regression was conducted to identify risk factors for death, and causes of death were compared with those in the general Israeli population.

Over 11 years of follow-up, comprising 18,246 person-years, 389 (12.0%) Israeli citizens died after completion of anti-tuberculosis treatment, giving an SMR of 3.7. The SMR was strongly correlated with age, and was highest in males and individuals aged 25-44 years. Compared to the general population, among individuals who recovered from TB there were more deaths due to septicaemia and pneumonia, and fewer deaths due to cerebrovascular diseases, stroke and diabetes (P < 0.05).

Individuals who recover from TB are at higher risk of long-term mortality than the general population, and their causes of death are different. Periodical follow-up might be beneficial for individuals to facilitate early diagnosis.