Characteristics of subclinical pulmonary tuberculosis compared to active pulmonary tuberculosis: A retrospective cohort study

Background Little is known about subclinical pulmonary tuberculosis (SPTB), and its diagnosis remains challenging. The aim is to analyze the results of laboratory of SPTB and improve clinical understanding and help early diagnosis. Method This retrospective cohort study was conducted in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) at a university hospital in China. 138 cases of SPTB were compared with active pulmonary tuberculosis (APTB) (140 cases) and healthy person (HC) (136 cases). Result The average age of the SPTB group (40.43 ± 19.85 years) was younger than that of the APTB group (50.01 ± 21.49 years) (p 0.05). There were statistically significant differences in CD8 + T cells counts between the three groups (p 0.05). The T-SPOT.TB value in SPTB were lower than those in the APTB group (p Conclusion Patients with SPTB tend to develop the condition at a younger age and are predominantly male. Clinically, we can judge whether SPTB will develop into APTB by monitoring WBC count, CA-125, CRP, T lymphocyte count and T-SPOT.TB value level, in order to achieve the purpose of early diagnosis and treatment.