Association of Hemoglobin Status and serum Iron level with Sputum Smear Conversion among Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Background: Mycobacterium tuberculosis is a major public health problem in Bangladesh and it is one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Anemia is associated with severe forms of tuberculosis with unfavorable outcomes. Anaemia with low serum iron is related with delayed sputum smear conversion in sputum positive PTB patients. This study aimed to see sputum smear conversion and its association with haemoglobin and serum Iron status among sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients.  Methods: This prospective type of descriptive (longitudinal) study included 68 new cases of sputum smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients admitted in Chest Disease Hospital, Rajshahi in collaboration with department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Rajshahi Medical College, Rajshahi during the 1(one) year period from July 2019 to June 2020. Purposive sampling technique was applied. Blood sample was taken from each subject and their haemoglobin, serum iron level was measured at the initiation of anti-TB therapy, at the end of 3rd week and at the end of two months. Total 68 adult patients were selected according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. Results: At the initiation of anti-TB therapy haemoglobin and serum iron levels were found low. At the end of 3rd week and at the end of 2 months of drugs treatment haemoglobin and serum iron levels were significantly increased. At the end of 2 months 58 patients became sputum smear negative and 10 patients were remained sputum positive. In comparison to conversion group mean levels of hemoglobin and serum Iron were low in non-conversion PTB patients which was statistically significant.  Conclusion: At the initiation of anti-TB therapy low levels of haemoglobin and serum iron level may be associated with delayed sputum smear conversion among sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients.