Clinical Presentation, Diagnostic Evaluation, and Treatment Characteristics of Tuberculosis Patients in Lahore, Pakistan: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study
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Background: Pulmonary tuberculosis remains a major public-health concern in Pakistan, but multicentre evidence describing patients’ clinical presentation, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment experiences remains limited. Objective: To describe the demographic characteristics, clinical presentation, investigations performed, and selected treatment characteristics of adults with pulmonary tuberculosis receiving care in Lahore. Methods: This multicentre descriptive cross-sectional study included 330 adults receiving pulmonary tuberculosis treatment at eight public, private, and district TB association facilities between September 2023 and September 2024. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling, and data were collected through structured face-to-face interviews. Descriptive analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 27.0. Results: The mean age was 42.4 ± 16.0 years, and 64.8% of participants were male. Fatigue was reported by 89.4%, cough lasting more than three weeks by 77.0%, unintended weight loss by 69.7%, fever by 68.8%, and night sweats by 67.6%. Chest radiography and sputum smear microscopy were performed in all participants, while culture, GeneXpert, and Mantoux testing were reported in 93.6%, 78.8%, and 61.8%, respectively. Most participants received outpatient care (86.1%). Medication-related side effects, current TB-related symptoms, and missed medication doses were reported by 16.7%, 20.6%, and 15.8%, respectively. Conclusion: Participants commonly presented with classical respiratory and constitutional symptoms and received several diagnostic investigations, although molecular testing was not universal. Reported side effects, ongoing symptoms, and missed doses indicate areas requiring continued clinical monitoring and patient-centred treatment support
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