Study Investigates Burden of Rare Pulmonary Disease

Although considered rare, non-tuberculosis myocobacterial pulmonary disease (NTMPD) is associated with high risk of hospitalization and mortality,  according to the results of a recent study.

While infections caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis have decreased over the past decade, infectious with other Mycobacterium strains, especially Mycobacterium avium complex, are becoming more widely recognized. However, symptoms of this infection often overlap with those of other chronic pulmonary disease, making it difficult to diagnose.
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In order to estimate the burden of this disease, researchers analyzed a sample of 7,073,357 individuals covered by German public statutory health insurances, identifying 125 patients with newly diagnosed NTMPD in 2010 and 2011. These patients were matched with 1250 control patients.

The incidence rate for NTMPD was 2.6 per 100,000 insured persons. Mortality rates were 22.4% and 6% for individuals with NTMPD and controls, respectively. Healthcare costs of those with NTMPD were nearly 4-fold that of controls, and individuals with NTMPD were hospitalized 3-times more often than controls.

Further, the mortality rate was 41.5% among patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and NTMPD, compared with 15.9% for those patients with only COPD.

The researchers noted a potential lack of treatment guidance for the disease, as only 54% of those patients with NTMPD were given antibiotics at diagnosis, 26% never received antibiotics, and 29 different drug combinations were utilized across all treatments.

“Although NTM-PD is considered rare, the attributable mortality and financial burden in Germany are high. Efforts to heighten awareness of appropriate therapy are urgently needed,” the researchers concluded.

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Diel R, Jacob J, Lampenium N, et al. Burden of non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease in Germany. Eur Resp J. 2017;49(4):1602109.