Tuberculosis Comorbidities and Cardiovascular Risk Factors
Summary
Tuberculosis remains a major global health challenge, not only as an acute infectious disease but also through its complex interactions with other chronic conditions. Individuals with active or latent infection often present with metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus, mental health conditions including depression, and behavioural risk factors like tobacco and alcohol use. These comorbidities compound the clinical complexity of tuberculosis management, undermine treatment adherence and elevate the risk of adverse outcomes. Concurrently, there is mounting evidence that both active and latent tuberculosis may drive systemic inflammation and endothelial dysfunction, accelerating atherogenesis and heightening the incidence of cardiovascular disease. This interplay has profound implications for public health, particularly in low- and middle-income settings where integrated care models are still evolving. Recognising tuberculosis as both a driver and a marker of cardiovascular risk calls for the routine assessment of blood pressure, glycaemic control and lipid profiles in people with tuberculosis. It also underscores the need for multidisciplinary approaches that bridge infectious disease programmes with non-communicable disease services to optimise prevention and long-term care.
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Tuberculosis Comorbidities and Cardiovascular Risk Factors publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in tuberculosis comorbidities and cardiovascular risk factors across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI): Persistent immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis antigens without signs or symptoms of active disease.
Multimorbidity: The simultaneous presence of tuberculosis and one or more additional chronic health conditions in the same individual.
Coronary artery disease (CAD): Progressive narrowing or blockage of the arteries supplying blood to the heart, leading to myocardial ischaemia.
Systemic inflammation: Chronic, body-wide activation of the immune system that can damage blood vessels and promote atherogenesis.
References
- Latent Tuberculosis Infection (LTBI) as a predictor of coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Heliyon (2023).
- Landscaping tuberculosis multimorbidity: findings from a cross-sectional study in India. BMC Public Health (2024).
- Cardiovascular morbidity and mortality among persons diagnosed with tuberculosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis. PLOS ONE (2020).
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