Particular qualities of the proteolytic system in patients with tuberculosis depending on the sensitivity of the pathogen

Abstract

The aim: Studying the features of the proteolytic system in patients with tuberculosis depending on the sensitivity of the pathogen. Materials and methods: In the course of the research we studied the level of elastase in the blood of 111 patients. The first group consisted of 66 (59.5%) people with pulmonary tuberculosis (39 were sensitive to antibacterial drugs, 27 were resistant). The second group included 13 (11.7%) patients with tuberculous pleurisy. The third group consisted of 32 (28.8%) patients with dual localization of the process (pulmonary tuberculosis and pleural tuberculosis). Results: The level of neutrophil elastase in patients with tuberculous pleurisy (253.2 nmol / min • ml) was 2.2 times higher than in patients with sensitive pulmonary tuberculosis (110.1 nmol / min • ml) and higher than in patients with resistant pulmonary tuberculosis 3.0 times. In combined pulmonary and pleural tuberculosis (third group) the level of elastase was 1.6 times higher than in pulmonary tuberculosis (176.9 nmol / min • ml)) (p <0.01), but lower than in pleurisy in 1, 4 times. In sensitive combined tuberculosis (lungs and pleura) the level of NE was 1.5 times higher than in patients of subgroup 1a (p <0.01) and 1.4 times lower than in patients with tuberculous pleurisy (p <0.01 ). Conclusions: The highest level of elastase in tuberculous pleurisy can be explained by its increased production, contributes to increased “permeability” of the pleural sheets and the accumulation of pleural effusion. In resistant forms of tuberculosis, the immune response in the form of the activity of the proteolytic system, which is lower than in sensitive forms, can be explained by the exhaustion of the immune system under the influence of aggressive tuberculosis. The above can be associated with both the weakening of the patient’s body and the aggressiveness of the pathogen.