Effect of tobacco on the pulmonary tuberculosis

Introduction: Tobacco increases the risk of pulmonary infection, especially tuberculosis. Objective: To determine the effect of pulmonary tuberculosis on clinical expression of the tuberculosis and its delay diagnosis. Materiel and methods: It's a comparative study between two groups of patients hospitalized in our department between January 2008 and June 2010. Results: The first group was made of 37 smokers patients hospitalized because of confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. The second group consists of 37 non smokers patients and also hospitalized because of confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis. Delay of diagnosis was shorter in the group of smokers (42 days versus 78 days).Cough and dyspnea were are more found at the smoker's (86% versus 82%). The biological investigations showed a high level of white blood cells with predominance of neutrophil cells especially in smokers (20 versus 10) and smokers were more likely to be smear-positive(21 versus 17). Chest X ray showed essentially nodules in both groups. These nodules were bilateral in the group of smokers (22 versus 14). The duration of the treatment was longer at the smokers (7 months versus 6, 5 months). Evolution after antituberculosis treatment was favourable for all patients. The complications as the lung fibrosis (2 versus 1) were more among smokers than non-smokers Conclusions: The Smoking was not associated with delay in the diagnosis and treatment of tuberculosis.