Keywords
How to Cite
Abstract
Objective:
To determine the frequency of antituberculosis therapy-induced liver injury (ATLI) in patients on treatment for tuberculosis.
Methods:
This descriptive research involved 176 individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis who received anti-tuberculosis therapy at the Department of Medicine, Nishtar Hospital, Multan, between August 2024 and February 2025. All participants received the standard first-line regimen consisting of Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide, and Ethambutol. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 2, 4, and 8 weeks post-treatment initiation, during which blood samples were collected to monitor changes in liver enzymes to determine the occurrence of ATLI.
Results:
In this study, 176 participants were included, with a mean age of 41.6 years (±13.4). Males comprised 61.9% (109 individuals) of the cohort, while females accounted for 38.1% (67 individuals). Regarding comorbidities, 14.2% (25 individuals) had diabetes, and 17.6% (31 individuals) had hypertension. The majority of tuberculosis cases were pulmonary (72.2%, 127 individuals), with the remaining 27.8% (49 individuals) presenting with extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. Of 176 patients, ATLI occurred in 26 (14.77%) patients.
Conclusion:
The prevalence of liver injury is high among patients on first-line anti-TB drug treatment. In the present study, the prevalence of ATLI was 14.7%.