EVALUATING HEMATOLOGICAL AND INFLAMMATORY BIOMARKERS IN TUBERCULOSIS MANAGEMENT

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis and remains a serious public health concern worldwide, particularly in developing countries such as Pakistan. Hematological and inflammatory biomarkers are increasingly being used to assess disease severity, monitor treatment response, and predict clinical outcomes in tuberculosis patients. These biomarkers provide low-cost and easily accessible tools for disease evaluation, especially in resource-limited healthcare settings. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate hematological and inflammatory biomarkers in pulmonary tuberculosis patients and determine their significance in disease monitoring and therapeutic management. Methodology: A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore over a period of four months. A total of 119 pulmonary tuberculosis patients were selected using a non-probability convenient sampling technique. Demographic and clinical data were collected through a structured proforma after obtaining informed consent. Venous blood samples were analyzed for hematological parameters including hemoglobin (Hb), white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR). Inflammatory biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were also assessed. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test, and chi-square test were applied, with p < 0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: The study findings revealed elevated inflammatory markers including CRP, ESR, NLR, and PLR among active tuberculosis patients, while hemoglobin and lymphocyte counts were reduced. Females constituted the majority of participants (58.8%). A statistically significant reduction in WBC count was observed after anti-tuberculosis treatment (p = 0.017), indicating improvement in inflammatory response. However, changes in hemoglobin, platelet count, CRP, and ESR were not statistically significant. Conclusion: The study concluded that hematological and inflammatory biomarkers are effective, inexpensive, and easily available indicators for evaluating disease severity and monitoring treatment response in tuberculosis patients. These biomarkers may support early risk stratification and improve clinical management, particularly in low-resource healthcare settings.