Abstract
IntroductionLaryngeal tuberculosis (LTB) is the most frequent granulomatous disease of the larynx and represents less than 2% of extrapulmonary TB cases. There are no pathognomonic clinical and endoscopic features of this disease and studies on LTB that can assist in its diagnostic characterization are lacking.ObjectiveTo identify factors associated with clinical and topographical features of LTB.Methoda retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted from the medical records of 36 patients with confirmed LTB diagnosis.ResultsDysphonia and cough were the main symptoms presented by patients and the true vocal folds the most frequently affected site. The average of the duration of the disease evolution was significantly higher in patients with dysphonia than in patients without this symptom. We observed association between dysphonia and true vocal fold lesions and between odynophagia and lesions in the epiglottis, arytenoids and aryepiglottic folds. Odynophagia was more frequent in individuals with lesions in four or more laryngeal sites. Weight loss equal or above 10% of the body weight was more frequent in patients with odynophagia as first symptom and in patients with ulcerated lesion. Dyspnea on exertion was more frequent in individuals with more extensive laryngeal lesions. The percentage of smokers with lesions in four or more laryngeal sites was greater than that found in non-smokers. Laryngeal tissue fragment bacilloscopy and culture examinations were less positive than sputum ones.ConclusionsSmoking appears to be associated with the development of more extensive LTB lesions, and LTB with dyspnea on exertion and odynophagia with consequent impairment of nutritional status. We emphasize the need for histopathologic confirmation, once positive sputum bacteriological examinations seem not to necessarily reflect laryngeal involvement.
Highlights
Laryngeal tuberculosis (LTB) is the most frequent granulomatous disease of the larynx and represents less than 2% of extrapulmonary TB cases
Smoking appears to be associated with the development of more extensive LTB lesions, and LTB with dyspnea on exertion and odynophagia with consequent impairment of nutritional status
Tuberculosis (TB) is a contagious infectious disease of chronic evolution caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis
Summary
This study was approved by the Ethics in Research Committee of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases (INI)–Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (FIOCRUZ) under protocol number 12243513.2.0000.5262 and a consent form was signed by all the patients. A retrospective crosssectional study was conducted from the medical reports of LTB patients diagnosed by the presence of videolaryngoscopic signs of chronic laryngitis associated with mycobacterium identification by at least one of the following methods: sputum bacilloscopy or culture and/or analysis of tissue fragments obtained by laryngeal biopsy through direct examination, culture or histopathologic examination with Wade staining technique. All patients were treated at the outpatient clinics for tuberculosis and otorhinolaryngology of INI- FIOCRUZ from 2004 to 2014 and monitored by a previously defined protocol. The sociodemographic profile of the patients was evaluated using the following variables: age, gender, economic status, education level, comorbidities, smoking and drinking habits. Patients who had the habit of smoking daily regardless of the amount were considered smokers and those who consumed any alcoholic beverage and gave a positive response to at least two questions in the CAGE questionnaire were considered drinkers [18]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
