Abstract:
Background: Tuberculosis (TB) and human immune deficiency virus (HIV) infections
are two major public health problems in many parts of the world .TB is the leading
cause of morbidity and mortality among HIV-infected individuals.
Objective: To assess incidence and predictors of tuberculosis among PLHIV in afar
heath facilities, northeast Ethiopia 2015.
Methods: A retrospective follow up study was conducted among 503 adult (age>15
years) PLHIV who enrolled in HIV care clinic from July 1, 2010 to June 30, 2011. Ethical
clearance was obtained from school of medicine. Data collected from patient records.
Data checked for completeness and entered to EPI-INFO version 7 then exported to
SPSS version 20 for further analysis. Bi-variate and multivariate Cox proportional model
were fitted to investigate predictors. p value <0.05 in the multivariate Cox proportional
hazards model independently associated with the outcome variable.
Result: of all the 503 charts reviewed, 451 charts were included in the analysis. For a
total of 1377.30 Person Years (PY) of observation, 119(26.38%) developed TB. The
overall incidence density of TB was 8.6 cases per 100PY. Sixty-eight (57.14%) of TB
developed at the first year of follow up. Past TB history (AHR=2.32, 95%CI=1.511-
3.573). Ambulatory and bedridden functional status at baseline (AHR=2.42,
95%CI(1.05-5.59) ,(AHR=2.42 ,95%CI=(1.56-3.75). Baseline BMI<18.5kg/m2
(AHR=1.621, 95 %CI =1.09-2.40).Not take IP (Isoniazid prophylaxis therapy) (AHR=
6.96,95%CI=2.53-19.08). Baseline Hgb <12.5g/dl and Hgb <10 g/dl (AHR=2.00, 95%
CI=1.08-3.71), (AHR= 2.54, 95%CI=1.57-4.11) respectively were predictors that
associated for TB occurrence.
Conclusion and recommendations: TB incidence in adult PLHIV remains high. Past
TB history, Not receiving IPT, low BMI, low Hgb and unable to work was the most
significant predictors for occurrence of TB. The high incidence of TB finding in this study
call for an improved TB/HIV activity and scale up of IPT to reduce risk of TB is
advisable.
