Reviono, Suradi, Sukarti
Departemen Pulmonologi dan Kedokteran Respirasi, Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta
Abstract
Background: The levels of glutathione (GSH) and IFN-γ are low in pulmonary TB patients. Administration of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) can increase intracellular GSH levels and IFN-γ, so that can inhibit the growth of M. tuberculosis.
Methods: This study was clinical trial with consecutive sampling, pretest-posttest. Subjects were pulmonary TB patients, positive acid fast bacilli (AFB) smear, Subjects were consisted of study group (antituberculosis therapy category I+NAC) and the control group (antituberculosis therapy categoryI only), during the intensive phase (8 weeks/56 days) were measured BMI, the levels of GSH, IFN-γ and AFB smear pre- and posttherapy.
Results: The total subjects study were 25 patients. Of these 12 were in study group and 13 were in control group. The mean pretherapy GSH level was 135,56±4,64 and post-therapy was 196,72±105,86 in the study group with p= 0.092. The mean level of IFN-γ posttherapy less than pretherapy significantly in the study group (pre=19.58±16.39, post=5.40±7.25, p=0.002). The mean BMI posttherapy more than pretherapy in study group with p=0.002 (pre=17.82±1.75, post= 18.62±2.04). The level of GSH were not correlated with IFN-γ. Level of IFN-γ were negatively correlated with BMI (r= -0.495, p=0.012). The percentage conversion status two groups did not different.
Conclusion: The administration of NAC did not associated with GSH levels but associated significantly with levels of IFN-γ and BMI. The level of IFN-γ was correlated negatively with BMI. There is no association between the administration of NAC with the conversion status. (J Respir Indo. 2015; 35: 235-46)
Keywords: Pulmonary tuberculosis, N-acetylcysteine, glutathione, interferon gamma, body mass index.