Table 2.
Comparison of characteristics and clinical manifestations between immunocompetent and immunocompromised patients with NTM infections.
| Variables | Total (n = 118) | Immune status | P- value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Immunocompetent (n = 54) | Immunocompromised (n = 64) | |||
| Age, mean ± SD | 49.4 ± 15.6 | 45.8 ± 15.2 | 52.6 ± 15.2 | 0.017 |
| Gender, n (%) | ||||
| Female | 57 (48.3) | 27 (50.0) | 30 (46.9) | 0.735 |
| Male | 61 (51.7) | 27 (50.0) | 34 (53.1) | 0.735 |
| BMI, mean ± SD (kg/m2) | 20.9 ± 3.4 | 21.5 ± 3.6 | 20.4 ± 3.1 | 0.057 |
| Time from onset to diagnosis (m), median (IQR) | 13.0 (4.7–35) | 12.1 (4.1–42.8) | 14.5 (5.0–32.0) | 0.785 |
| Smoking, n (%) | ||||
| Smoker | 45 (38.1) | 21 (38.9) | 24 (37.5) | 0.877 |
| Ex-smoker | 31 (26.3) | 15 (27.8) | 16 (25.0) | 0.103 |
| Comorbidity, n (%) | ||||
| previous tuberculosis | 36 (30.5) | 17 (31.4) | 19 (29.7) | 0.973 |
| Bronchiectasis | 25 (21.2) | 16 (29.6) | 9 (14.1) | 0.137 |
| COPD | 4 (3.4) | 1 (1.8) | 3 (4.7) | 0.394 |
| DPLD | 14 (11.9) | 4 (7.4) | 10 (15.6) | 0.132 |
| Diabetes mellitus | 13 (11.0) | 3 (5.6) | 10 (15.6) | 0.082 |
| Cerebrovascular disease | 2 (1.7) | 1 (1.9) | 1 (1.6) | 0.903 |
| Chronic kidney disease | 13 (11.0) | 2 (3.7) | 11 (17.2) | 0.020** |
| Chronic liver disease | 11 (9.3) | 4 (7.4) | 7 (10.9) | 0.511 |
| AIDS | 4 (3.4) | 0 (0) | 4 (6.3) | 0.053 |
| Medication, n (%) | 35 (29.7) | 0 (0) | 35 (54.7) | 0.000** |
| Clinical symptoms, n (%) | ||||
| cough | 86 (72.9) | 38 (70.4) | 48 (75) | 0.573 |
| Sputum | 76 (64.4) | 33 (61.1) | 43 (67.2) | 0.492 |
| hemoptysis | 22 (18.6) | 13 (24.1) | 9 (14.1) | 0.164 |
| chest pain | 19 (16.1) | 8 (14.8) | 11 (17.2) | 0.727 |
| chest tightness | 41 (34.7) | 16 (29.6) | 25 (39.1) | 0.284 |
| dyspnea | 56 (47.5) | 23 (42.6) | 33 (51.6) | 0.331 |
| fever | 92 (78.0) | 36 (66.7) | 56 (87.5) | 0.007** |
| fatigue | 34 (28.8) | 14 (25.9) | 20 (31.2) | 0.737 |
| weight loss | 58 (49.2) | 29 (53.7) | 29 (45.3) | 0.364 |
| night sweats | 14 (11.9) | 6 (11.1) | 8 (12.5) | 0.816 |
| bone and joint pain | 19 (16.1) | 3 (5.6) | 16 (25.0) | 0.004** |
| enlarged lymph nodes | 32 (27.1) | 12 (22.2) | 20 (31.3) | 0.249 |
| Pulmonary NTM | 105 (89.0) | 50 (92.6) | 55 (85.9) | 0.250 |
| Extrapulmonary NTM | 13 (11.0) | 4 (7.4) | 9 (14.1) | 0.250 |
| Disseminated NTM infection | 29 (24.6) | 6 (11.1) | 23 (35.9) | 0.002** |
| WBC$, median (IQR) × 106/L | 7.1 (4.7–11.5) | 6.8 (4.5–11.2) | 7.2 (4.9–12.2) | 0.303 |
| Lymphocyte count$, median (IQR) × 106/L | 1.3 (0.7–1.8) | 1.5 (1.1–1.9) | 1.1 (0.6–1.4) | 0.001& |
| Hgb$, median (IQR) g/L | 109.0 (88.0–129.2) | 120.5 (94.7–136.5) | 101.5 (86.2–115.7) | 0.002& |
| Lymphocyte subsets* (n = 76) (/μL) | ||||
| B lymphocyte | 60.5 (18.2–138.2) | 97.2 (35.0–196.5) | 43.0 (15.2–83.7) | 0.006& |
| T lymphocyte | 829.0 (420.5–1145.0) | 938.0 (435.5–1630.0) | 746.0 (376.5–1027.0) | 0.026& |
| CD4+ T lymphocyte | 419.0 (156.7–575.2) | 545.5 (336.0–1023.0) | 310.5 (139.7–484.2) | 0.001& |
| CD8+ T lymphocyte | 318.0 (197.5–539.7) | 321.5 (213.2–554.7) | 309.5 (162.2–524.0) | 0.238 |
| NK lymphocyte | 124.0 (38.0–233.0) | 120.0 (52.5–232.5) | 126.5 (29.7–236.0) | 0.585 |
| CD4+ /CD8+ T lymphocyte ratio | 1.3 (0.7–1.7) | 1.5 (0.8–2.0) | 1.2 (0.6–1.6) | 0.023& |
| Serum IgG$, median (IQR) × 103mg/dL | 12.1 (8.8–16.4) (n = 106) |
11.8 (9.6–14.4) (n = 47) |
12.7 (8.7–19.8) (n = 59) |
0.407 |
| Exacerbation | 53 (44.9) | 15 (27.8) | 38 (59.4) | 0.001** |
NTM, non-tuberculous mycobacteria; IQR, interquartile range; BMI, body mass index; SD, standard deviation; COPD, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; DPLD, diffuse parenchymal lung disease; IgG, immunoglobulin G; WBC, white blood cells; Hgb, hemoglobin; m, months; medication, glucocorticoids or immunosuppressive agents;
*
Lymphocyte subsets (n = 76), immunocompetent group (n = 30), and immunocompromised group (n = 46);
$
, at NTM diagnosis;
**
Chi-square test (P < 0.05).
&
Mann-Whitney test (P < 0.05).