Table 5. Clinical characteristics and outcomes for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) infections.
| Variables | Pulmonary (n = 39) |
Extrapulmonary (n = 11) |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | %* | n | % | |
| NTM infection in RA duration (year) | 7.0 ± 4.0 | 5.0 ± 4.8 | ||
| Age,≥65 | 20 | 51.3 | 7 | 63.6 |
| Female | 21 | 53.8 | 6 | 54.5 |
| TB history | 17 | 43.6 | 0 | 0 |
| Biologics used | 16 | 41 | 5 | 45.5 |
| Biologics used time (year) | 2.0 ± 1.9 | 2.2 ± 2.0 | ||
| Etanercept | 6 | 3 | ||
| Adalimumab | 5 | 1 | ||
| Rituximab | 3 | 1 | ||
| Abatacept | 1 | 0 | ||
| Tocilizumab | 1 | 0 | ||
| Clinical manifestations | ||||
| Fever | 19 | 48.7 | 3 | 27.3 |
| Pneumonia | 21 | 53.8 | 0 | |
| Chronic cough | 7 | 17.9 | 0 | |
| Bronchiectasis | 5 | 12.8 | 0 | |
| Lung nodular | 5 | 12.8 | 0 | |
| Cellulitis | 0 | 6 | 54.5 | |
| Osteomyelitis | 0 | 3 | 27.3 | |
| Disseminated infection | 0 | 2 | 18.2 | |
| Antimicrobial therapy | 25 | 64.1 | 9 | 81.8 |
| Regimens* | ||||
| EMB+RIF+INH | 11 | 28.2 | 1 | 9.1 |
| CLA+EMB+RIF/INH | 7 | 17.9 | 5 | 45.5 |
| CLA | 3 | 7.7 | 2 | 18.2 |
| CLA+AMI | 0 | 1 | 9.1 | |
| CIP | 2† | 5.1 | 0 | |
| MXF | 2† | 5.1 | 0 | |
| Hospitalization | 30 | 76.9 | 6 | 54.5 |
| Age | ||||
| 18–44 | 6 | 15.4 | 0 | |
| 45–64 | 8 | 20.5 | 1 | 9.1 |
| ≥65 | 16 | 41 | 5 | 45.5 |
| Hospitalization day | ||||
| mean ± SD | 20.1 ± 11.1 | 43.5 ± 45.0 | ||
| Outcomes | ||||
| Completed recovery | 24 | 61.5 | 5 | 45.5 |
| Relapse | 9 | 23.1 | 4 | 36.4 |
| Died | 6 | 15.4 | 2 | 18.2 |
*EMB, ethambutol; RIF, rifampin; INH, isoniazid; CLA, clarithromycin; AMI, amikacin; CIP, ciprofloxacin; MXF, moxifloxacin.
†Clarithromycin was added in later treatment.