Risk Factors Analysis of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Pulmonary Infection in Hospitalized Patients in Yulin, China

Nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease (NTM-LD) is an increasingly serious chronic lung infection, especially in people with low immune function.

This study collected clinical inpatient data from January 2020 to December 2024 at the First People's Hospital of Yulin, aiming to evaluate the risk factors for nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection.

A study involving 199 patients found that 143 (71.86%) were infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), whereas 56 (28.14%) were infected with NTM. The most common NTM species were Mycobacteroides abscessus, accounting for 53.57% (30/56), followed by Mycobacterium intracellulare at 10.71% (6/56). The NTM separation department mainly focuses on respiratory medicine, accounting for 80.36% (45/56) of cases. The median age of the patients is 60 years. The risk factors associated with NTM infection include age (45-65), autoimmune diseases, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, bronchiectasis, concomitant pulmonary aspergillosis, and immunosuppressant use. Among these, bronchiectasis is an independent risk factor for infection (odds ratio [OR]: 7.357, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.080-17.574). In addition, expectoration is a significant risk factor for rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) infection in NTM-LD (OR: 4.278, 95% CI 1.314-13.928).

Over one-third of patients suspected of having tuberculosis are actually infected with NTM, and those with bronchiectasis have a higher risk of NTM infection. The most common NTM-LD strain is M. abscessus, which is clinically associated with expectoration as a risk factor for RGM infection.