Clinical features of tuberculous pseudoaneurysm and risk factors for mortality

Abstract

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the clinical features of tuberculous aneurysms and risk factors for mortality.

Methods: We reviewed all case reports of tuberculous aneurysms in the English literature from January 2000 to December 2020. The clinical features and possible risk factors for mortality were recorded and analyzed.

Results: In total, 174 cases of tuberculous aneurysms were identified. The morbidity of men was more than twice that of women. Male patients (51.47 ± 20.67 years) were older than female patients (39.52 ± 20.23 years; P < .05). The rupture rate in women (69.2%) was higher than that in men (48.8%). Tuberculosis (TB)-induced aneurysms often spontaneously ruptured 1.41 to 3.01 months after the onset of TB symptoms without any treatment, and Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG)-induced aneurysms often spontaneously ruptured 10.51 to 26.49 months after BCG administration. The morbidity of large artery aneurysms was nearly twice that of middle artery aneurysms. However, middle artery aneurysms were more likely to rupture (75.4%) than large artery aneurysms (43.5%; P < .05). The rupture rate of BCG-induced aneurysms (37.0%) was lower than that of TB-induced aneurysms, regardless of whether there was a TB history (56.7%) or not (57.7%). Symptoms of TB occurred in 63.2% of patients, but only 8.6% of patients had both symptoms of TB and aneurysmal mass effects. Pain was the most common atypical clinical manifestation (50.0%). The Cox proportional hazards regression analysis and Kaplan-Meier estimator showed that rupture and no combined therapy were risk factors for mortality.

Conclusions: Tuberculous aneurysms seemingly shared the same demographic characteristics as common aneurysms. The clinical features of TB-induced aneurysms were different from those of BCG-induced aneurysms in terms of the aneurysm location and rupture rate. Tuberculous aneurysms may occur at any site of the cardiovascular system with a preponderance for large arteries. The changeable clinical manifestations were important index for diagnosis, but focusing only on clinical manifestations may lead to a missed diagnosis. The combination of anti-TB medications and surgery before aneurysm rupture may provide the best prognosis.

Keywords: Aneurysm development; Bacillus Calmette-Guerin; Tuberculosis infection; Tuberculous aneurysm.