A Comparative Analysis of the Chest X-ray Findings between Pulmonary Tuberculosis Subjects with and without HIV/AIDS at the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu State, Nigeria

Introduction: Human immunodeficiency virus/Acquire immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is one of the major health problems in developing countries. It is pandemic and has caused a resurgence of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB), resulting in increased morbidity and mortality.

Aims: To document the chest radiographic findings in adult HIV/AIDS patients co-infected with pulmonary tuberculosis before the commencement of antiretroviral therapy, and to compare these with HIV-negative PTB subjects before the commencement of anti-tuberculosis drugs.

Study Design: Prospective cross-sectional study.

Place and duration of study: Department of Radiation Medicine, university of Nigeria teching hospital Ituku/Ozalla, Nigeria. April 2023 to January 2024

Methodology: This was a descriptive cross-sectional study of chest radiographs of 230 HIV positive PTB subjects matched for age and sex with HIV negative PTB subjects at UNTH Enugu. The finding was analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.

Results: Patchy (p=0.018), perihilar and hilar opacities (p=0.001) are more prevalent in HIV - positive PTB subjects when compared with controls respectively. However, the controls had more cavitory lesions (p=0.001). The cavitary lesions were located more in the right upper zone in both groups. Volume loss (p=0.001), reticulonodular opacities (p=0.001) and pleural effusion (p=0.014) were more in HIV - negative PTB subjects.

Conclusion: Patchy, perihilar and hilar opacities provide a high index of suspicion for PTB in HIV - positive subjects.