To assess and compare the prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in patients awaiting heart transplantation and in heart transplant recipients using modern immunodiagnostic methods.
Approach:
Participants: Patients were divided into two groups: pre-transplant patients (n = 14) and heart transplant recipients (n = 28), with a control group of healthy individuals (n = 51) included for comparison.
Key Findings:
LTBI prevalence was significantly higher in heart transplant recipients (53.6%) compared to controls (5.8%; p = 0.001).
In pre-transplant patients, LTBI prevalence was 35.7%, significantly exceeding that of controls (p = 0.003).
Interpretation:
Heart transplant recipients show the highest prevalence of LTBI, followed by patients awaiting transplantation, both significantly exceeding that of healthy individuals.
Limitations:
The study is limited to a specific population at a single center, which may affect generalizability.
The sample size for pre-transplant patients is relatively small.
Conclusion:
Routine LTBI screening and preventive therapy are important for heart transplant candidates and recipients to mitigate the risk of active tuberculosis.
