Nutritional status and patterns of anemia in sudanese adult patients with active pulmonary tuberculosis: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Malnutrition increases the risk of developing tuberculosis (TB) and causes reactivation of latent pulmonary TB. On the other hand, TB is a recognized cause of malnutrition. Evaluation of the nutritional status and anemia of tuberculous patients with active disease is an important step toward TB management.

Unlabelled: The objectives of the study were to determine the nutritional status and patterns of anemia in adult patients with active pulmonary TB.

Methods: A.

Unlabelled: cross-sectional hospital-based study was performed on newly diagnosed patients with sputum-positive pulmonary TB. The nutritional status, total percentage of body fat (BF%), anemia, and general health of each patient were assessed with measurements of the body mass index (BMI), skin fold thickness, complete blood counts, and biochemical tests.

Results: Patients' ages ranged from 16- to 74-year old, with the majority between 20- and 40-year old. Male: female ratio was 2:1. The majority of males and females (91.2% and 84.5%, respectively) had low BF%. Underweight (BMI < 18.5) was 62%, whereas overweight (BMI ≥25.0) was 4%. BMI showed a significant decline with chronicity of the illness (P < 0.001). Eighty participants showed anemia, 90% microcytic hypochromic, and 10% normocytic normochromic. Serum albumin was low in 21%, with no relation to renal disease and insignificant association with proteinuria.

Conclusion: Patients with active pulmonary TB are likely to have microcytic hypochromic anemia, low BF%, and low BMI, especially with a long duration of the disease.