Medical and characteristics of tuberculosis patients with HIV-infection.

Relevance. According to WHO data, an increase in the morbidity and mortality of patients with tuberculosis and HIV-infection has been recorded in recent years. This combination is characterized by a number of negative consequences, such as a higher incidence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and a relatively low proportion of successful treatment. The main reasons for the ineffectiveness of treatment are related not only to progressive immunosuppression, but also possibly to medical and social factors, low motivation and commitment to therapy. The lack of holistic medical and social characteristics of tuberculosis patients with HIV infection led to this analysis. The purpose of the study was to examine patients with combined tuberculosis and HIV infection according to medical and social characteristics, treatment effectiveness, and prognosis for the last 2022–2024 in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic. Materials and methods. The research was conducted by means of questionnaires, as well as statistical analysis of the case histories of 106 completed cases of hospitalization of patients with tuberculosis combined with HIV-infection who were undergoing inpatient treatment at the tuberculosis dispensary of the Ministry of Health of the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic from 2022–2024. Results. The study revealed that the largest number of patients with combined tuberculosis and HIV-infection was observed in 2024, with men dominating – 67,4% and only 32,5% – women. By age, the vast majority of patients are young people: from 20–30 years – 32,9 people, from 31–40 years – 43,4% of patients and over 40 years – 23,7% of patients. The patients had secondary education (98%). Only 42.8% of men and 17.6% of women were married. 79.2% of people are unemployed, and on average about 60% of patients had a criminal record in the past, and 23.5% of the women surveyed had a criminal record. Conclusions. Thus, against the background of a steady decrease in the incidence of tuberculosis, there was a significant increase in the proportion of patients with tuberculosis combined with HIV infection in the Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, which in 2024 amounted to 22,6% among newly diagnosed tuberculosis patients and 17,3% among tuberculosis patients. The largest proportion of patients with tuberculosis–HIV infection were unemployed men, the most able-bodied, most often single, socially maladjusted, living in unfavorable housing and living conditions.