The levels of pro-fibrotic cytokines in pulmonary tuberculosis with minimal and extensive lesions.

Background: There are very few studies about the mechanism of fibrosis in tuberculosis (TB). This study aimed to determine the levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1), and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) in pulmonary TB patients with minimal and extensive lesions.

Materials And Methods: Cross-sectional observational study design was used to observe the pulmonary TB patients with minimal and extensive lesions, and also healthy controls, each consisting of ten patients.

Soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor levels in tuberculosis patients at high risk for multidrug resistance.

The soluble urokinase plasminogen activator receptor (suPAR) has been shown to be a strong prognostic biomarker for tuberculosis (TB). In the present study, the profiles of plasma suPAR levels in pulmonary TB patients at high risk for multidrug resistance were analyzed and compared with those in multidrug resistant (MDR)-TB patients. Forty patients were prospectively included, consisting of 10 MDR-TB patients and 30 TB patients at high risk for MDR, underwent clinical assesment.