Association between radiological sequelae and functional impairment in post-pulmonary tuberculosis patients at a tertiary care center

Background: Post Tubercular Lung Disease (PTLD) significantly contributes to the global burden of chronic respiratory disease. Current tuberculosis (TB) guidelines focus only o n mortality and morbidity during TB treatment. However, exacerbations in PTLD remain under-researched and are not much recognized yet. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 100 patients attending the pulmonary medicine outpatient department and inpatient department over a period of 1 year at the Department of Respiratory Medicine, Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal. Results: The majority (41%) of cases had grade 2 dyspnea. The association of mMRC grading with destroyed lung and fibrosis plus bronchiectasis was significant ( P < 0.001 and P = 0.095, respectively). Conclusion: There are no definite pulmonary rehabilitation measures available for post-tuberculosis (post-TB) patients with residual lung impairment and structural changes, contributing to the increasing burden of post-tubercular lung disease in society. Urgent research is needed to inform policies that guide clinical decision-making and preventive strategies for PTLD.