Risk factors associated with Tuberculosis (TB) among people living with HIV/AIDS: A pair-matched case-control study in Guangxi, China

BACKGROUND As one of the poorest provinces in China, Guangxi has a high HIV and TB prevalence, with the annual number of TB/HIV cases reported by health department among the highest in the country. However, studies on the burden of TB-HIV co-infection and risk factors for active TB among HIV-infected persons in Guangxi have rarely been reported. OBJECTIVE To investigate the risk factors for active TB among people living with HIV/AIDS in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, China. METHODS A surveillance survey was conducted of 1 019 HIV-infected patients receiving care at three AIDS prevention and control departments between 2013 and 2015. We investigated the cumulative prevalence of TB during 2 years. To analyze risk factors associated with active TB, we conducted a 1:1 pair-matched case-control study of newly reported active TB/HIV co-infected patients. Controls were patients with HIV without active TB, latent TB infection or other lung disease, who were matched with the case group based on sex and age (± 3 years). RESULTS A total of 1 019 subjects were evaluated. 160 subjects (15.70%) were diagnosed with active TB, including 85 clinically diagnosed cases and 75 confirmed cases. We performed a 1:1 matched case-control study, with 82 TB/HIV patients and 82 people living with HIV/AIDS based on surveillance site, sex and age (±3) years. According to multivariate analysis, smoking (OR = 2.996, 0.992-9.053), lower CD 4+ T-cell count (OR = 3.288, 1.161-9.311), long duration of HIV-infection (OR = 5.946, 2.221-15.915) and non-use of ART (OR = 7.775, 2.618-23.094) were independent risk factors for TB in people living with HIV/AIDS. CONCLUSION The prevalence of active TB among people living with HIV/AIDS in Guangxi was 173 times higher than general population in Guangxi. It is necessary for government to integrate control planning and resources for the two diseases. Medical and public health workers should strengthen health education for TB/HIV prevention and treatment and promote smoking cessation. Active TB case finding and early initiation of ART is necessary to minimize the burden of disease among patients with HIV, as is IPT and infection control in healthcare facilities.