Efficacy of smoking cessation intervention delivered through mobile tele-counseling among smokers with tuberculosis in a Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program.

BACKGROUND: India has high burden of tuberculosis and smokers. Prevalence of tuberculosis is three times higher in smokers than non-smokers. Active smoking causes severe disease, delay in seeking treatment, lost to treatment follow up, delayed sputum conversion and drug resistance. WHO advocates mobile phone technology to improve health outcomes (mHealth). We used mobile tele-counseling as a smoking cessation intervention in smokers with tuberculosis (TB) receiving treatment under tuberculosis control program. AIM: To determine smoking quit rate at six months of TB treatment among smokers receiving mobile tele-counseling versus brief advice and to estimate smoking quit rates and relapse rates during the tele-counseling period. METHODS: Open label randomized controlled trial. Newly detected pulmonary tuberculosis or pleural effusion patients received brief advice on smoking cessation as per The UNION's guiding framework. Subjects were then randomly allocated to intervention or control group. Intervention group was contacted telephonically at 2,3,4,5 and 6 months to assess smoking quit rates and provide continued smoking cessation advice. RESULTS: Intervention group had 80 and 82 in the control group, mean (SD) age was 40.6(12.6), 43.5(12.7) p = 0.53. Quit rate at six months was 54 (67.5%) in intervention group versus 34 (42%) in control group; RR 1.60 (95% CI 1.19, 2.16) p = 0.001. Trend in smoking quit rates in intervention group was 81.3%, 61.3%, 55%, 73.8% at 2,3,4 and 5 months respectively. Smoking relapse rate was 43.1%, 53.1%, 20.5%,15.3% at 3,4,5 and 6 months respectively. 27.5%, 43.8% were abstinent for last three, two months. CONCLUSIONS: Mobile tele-counseling is an effective strategy for smoking cessation among TB patients.

Gitelman-like syndrome: A rare complication of using aminoglycosides in tuberculosis - A case report.

Aminoglycosides are known to cause electrolyte disturbances. Approximately 8-26% of patients who receive an aminoglycoside for several days develop mild renal impairment that is almost always reversible (Brunton et al., 2013). A 46 year old male with multi-drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis with resistance to kanamycin is being presented, who was on injectable Capreomycin, Levofloxacin, Ethionamide, Cycloserine, pyrazinamide, linezolid and clofazamine for a period of four months. He presented to us with generalised weakness and pain in the lower limb muscles. Investigation revealed hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hypomagnesemia, hypocalceuria and hypocalcemia. This features mimic Gitelman's syndrome which is an autosomal recessive disorder affecting kidneys causing electrolyte disturbances. The drug was immediately withdrawn and electrolyte correction was given and the condition reversed gradually.

Primary hepatic tuberculosis masquerading as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Abdominal tuberculosis is a common clinical entity in Indian subcontinent; however, hepatic tuberculosis in the absence of miliary abdominal tuberculosis is restricted to the case reports and small case series in English literature. It mimics common liver diseases like liver abscess and tumours. We report a case of 38 years old male presenting with abdominal pain, loss of appetite and weight initially misdiagnosed as intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma on magnetic resonance imaging and FNAC of the lesion but later diagnosed as a case of hepatic tuberculosis on post operative histopathology specimen. It is important to consider tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis when suspecting lymphoproliferative or metastatic diseases in a patient with vague symptoms.

Tubercular esophagocutaneous fistula: Rare case report.

Tubercular esophagocutaneous fistula is a rare entity with only about five cases reported so far. It can be as a result of primary involvement of esophagus by tuberculosis or due to spread of infection from adjacent structures like lungs or mediastinal lymph nodes. The fistula usually heals with initiation of antitubercular therapy and surgery is rarely required. Here we report a case of 65-year-old diabetic male who developed esophagocutaneous fistula secondary to caseation of mediastinal lymph nodes and was successfully treated with antitubercular treatment.

Tuberculosis of the Chest Wall with Massive Tuberculous Pleural Effusion.

Primary tuberculosis of components of the chest wall is a rare entity. Involvement of skeletal muscle by tuberculosis without any primary focus is also rare. Here, we report a case of tuberculosis of chest wall without pulmonary or bone involvement, that invaded into the pleural space leading to a massive pleural effusion.