Tuberculosis Patients Should Also Beware of 'Stroke'... 22% Increased Risk of Occurrence

Samsung Seoul Hospital and Hanyang University Hospital Research Team
Proves Tuberculosis as a Risk Factor for Stroke
"Stroke Prevention Should Be Considered During Tuberculosis Treatment"

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] A study has found that tuberculosis patients should be cautious of strokes such as cerebral infarction. This is especially important as the risk of stroke increases during the recent cold weather.

Professor Shin Dong-wook of the Department of Family Medicine at Samsung Seoul Hospital, Clinical Instructor Lee Han-rim of the International Medical Center, and Professor Lee Hyun of the Department of Respiratory Allergy at Hanyang University Hospital, along with their research team, analyzed National Health Insurance Corporation health screening data. They tracked tuberculosis patients and non-tuberculosis patients for an average of 3.8 years and published their findings in the recent issue of the authoritative stroke journal "STROKE" on the 28th.

The research team compared and analyzed 72,863 individuals diagnosed with tuberculosis during health screenings from January 2010 to December 2017 with an equal number of age- and gender-matched controls. The results showed that having had tuberculosis increased the risk of cerebral infarction by 22% compared to those without tuberculosis. This result accounted for factors influencing cerebral infarction such as obesity, smoking history, alcohol consumption, physical activity, income, residential area, and comorbidity index, proving that tuberculosis is a risk factor for stroke.

The research team estimated that the reason tuberculosis affects stroke occurrence is that immune responses and inflammation caused by tuberculosis place a burden on the cardiovascular system, increasing the risk of cerebral infarction. Additionally, tuberculosis patients tend to have increased platelet count and activity, which can lead to a hypercoagulable state with frequent thrombus formation, thereby promoting cerebral infarction.

The research team emphasized that not only tuberculosis patients and their families but also the medical staff responsible for treatment should recognize and respond to the risk of stroke. According to the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency, 18,335 new tuberculosis patients were registered last year, indicating a significant patient population, with reports showing that one in two patients is aged 65 or older.

Professor Shin stated, "A significant number of tuberculosis patients are elderly, and they are more vulnerable to stroke," adding, "During the treatment process for tuberculosis, measures to assess and manage stroke risk should also be established." Professor Lee also emphasized, "Until now, tuberculosis experts have thought that tuberculosis management ends once treatment is completed," and added, "To reduce the long-term disease burden caused by tuberculosis, health policies are needed to prevent cardiovascular diseases such as stroke and other extrapulmonary complications in tuberculosis survivors."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.