Cough frequency during treatment associated with baseline cavitary volume and proximity to the airway in pulmonary TB

Background: Cough frequency, and its duration, is a lab-free biomarker that can be used in low-resource settings and has been associated with transmission and treatment response. Radiological characteristics associated with increased cough frequency may be important in understanding transmission. The relationship between cough frequency and cavitary lung disease has never been studied. Methods: We analyzed 41 human immunodeficiency virus-negative adults with culture-confirmed, drug-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis throughout treatment. Cough recordings were based on the Cayetano Cough Monitor and sputum samples were evaluated using microscopic-observation drug susceptibility broth culture, among culture-positive samples bacillary burden was assessed by time to positivity. Computerized tomography scans were analyzed by a U.S. board-certified radiologist and an automated-computer algorithm. The algorithm evaluates cavity volume and cavitary proximity to the airway. Computerized tomograp...背景：咳嗽频率及其持续时长是一种无需实验室检测的生物标志物，可应用于资源匮乏场景，且与疾病传播及治疗反应相关。与咳嗽频率升高相关的影像学特征，或有助于解析疾病传播机制。目前尚未有研究探讨咳嗽频率与空洞性肺部疾病之间的关联。 方法：本研究纳入41例人类免疫缺陷病毒（Human Immunodeficiency Virus, HIV）阴性成人受试者，均为全程接受治疗的培养确诊型药物敏感性肺结核患者。咳嗽录音采用卡耶塔诺咳嗽监测仪（Cayetano Cough Monitor）采集；痰标本采用显微镜观察药物敏感性肉汤培养法进行检测，对于培养阳性的标本，通过阳性检出时间评估细菌负荷。计算机断层扫描（Computed Tomography, CT）扫描由一名美国Board认证放射科医师及一套自动化计算机算法（automated-computer algorithm）进行分析。该算法可评估空洞体积及空洞与气道的邻近程度。计算机断层扫