30 Years Retrospective Review of Tuberculosis Cases in a Tuberculosis Dispensary in Bursa/Nilufer, Turkey (1985-2014)

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate tuberculosis control programmes of patients who applied to the Bursa Nilufer Tuberculosis Dispensary and by investigating the changes in the variables over 3 decades. Method: In this retrospective descriptive study, the records of all tuberculosis cases (1662 people) treated in the last 30 years (1985-2014) at the Bursa Nilufer Tuberculosis Dispensary were examined. In the analysis, the chi-square test, the trend chi-square test and Fisher's exact test were used. Results: Males comprised 65.2% of the patients. The ages of the patients ranged from 1 to 87 years, and the mean age was 37.4 (95% CI:36.6-38.2). Among the cases, 86.7% were new and 74.1% were pulmonary tuberculosis. In the last decade, the proportion of women, the education level, the proportion of patients who had received a BCG vaccination and the proportion of active employees among women increased by a statistically significant amount, while the proportion of employees among men decreased. Clinical symptoms, such as weakness, anorexia, weight loss, and cough, decreased to a statistically significant degree. In the last decade, the mortality rate was 3.6%, a statistically significant increase compared with previous decades. Mortality was statistically significant higher among patients who were elderly, male, did not have a BCG scar or had a chronic disease. Conclusion: This study reveals the need for studies that determine the risk factors associated with tuberculosis mortality and examine the effectiveness of tuberculosis control programmes. Direct measures to address mortality risk factors can reduce the number of deaths from tuberculosis.

Keywords

• Tuberculosis, Bursa, mortality, control programmes