Submission ID 129568
| Issue/Objective | Post-tuberculosis lung disease (PTLD) is a neglected consequence of tuberculosis, causing persistent respiratory impairment, reduced functional capacity, and poor quality of life, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Despite its growing burden, long-term care for TB survivors remains limited. Pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) shows promise in chronic respiratory diseases, but evidence for PTLD is fragmented. This study systematically synthesizes evidence on PR's effectiveness in improving lung function, exercise capacity, and quality of life. Aligned with CCGH 2026 Sub-theme 3, it supports evidence-to-practice translation and highlights scalable interventions to improve equitable post-TB care in resource-limited settings. |
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| Methodology/Approach | This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted by following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 guidelines. Studies involving pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) survivors who had completed treatment and developed post-TB lung disease , as defined by the individual studies, were included. A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus between July 25 and August 1, 2025. Data were extracted by two individuals using a structured, pre-designed Excel form. The extracted data were cleaned and analyzed using R software version 4.5. |
| Results | A total of 13 studies, consisting of 747 participants were included. With very low certainty evidence, the pooled mean change of 6-minute walk distance (6MWD) was 60.04 meters (95% CI: 27.83-92.20). Low certainty evidence showed the pooled mean change in forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), forced vital capacity (FVC), the ratio of forced expiratory volume to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) and partial pressure of oxygen in arterial blood (pao2) were 0.07L (95% CI: 0.01;0.14), 0.06 L (95% CI: -0.02;0.14), 1.06 % (95% CI: -1.66;3.78) and 2.64 mmHg (95% CI: 0.15;5.12) respectively. The mean change in SGRQ scores was -18.85 (95% CI: −22.43-15.27) based on low certainty evidence. |
| Discussion/Conclusion | Pulmonary rehabilitation is a promising intervention in improving exercise tolerance, lung function and HRQoL of PTLD patients, though the certainty of evidence ranges from low to very low. More high-quality Randomized Clinical Trial (RCT) and longitudinal studies are needed to have strong evidence to recommend PR programs as part of regular recommendation for PTLD care. |
| Presenters and Affiliations | Abraham Gebremedhn Armauer Hansen Research Institute Kidist Bobosha Armauer Hansen Research Institute |
