Clinical characteristics and risk factors for tuberculosis during the COVID-19 pandemic: a longitudinal analysis in a trans-border Ukrainian region

OBJECTIVE. To assess the dynamics of the clinical peculiarities and risk factors for tuberculosis (TB) during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic through a longitudinal analysis in a trans-border Ukrainian region. MATERIALS AND METHODS. Objectives were: 1) assessment of the general peculiarities, social and epidemiological risk factors of patients diagnosed with TB clinically managed during three phases of the COVID-19 pandemic in Ukrainian trans-border region Chernivtsi; 2) evaluation of the progression in the use TB diagnostic tools and their impact on the treatment effectiveness; 3) establishing the main issues and challenges in management of TB patients during three periods of the COVID-19 pandemic in the trans-border region. A prospective, case-control study, which was conducted from 2018 to 2023, included 896 patients registered during the pre-COVID pandemic, 579 patients during initial COVID-19 pandemic and 773 patients during the late-pandemic periods. RESULTS. While the demographic characteristics of the patients did not differ during the pre-, initial and late-pandemic periods in a trans-border Ukrainian region, their clinical aspects, case-detection, management and treatment outcome were contrasting. The dynamics was negative during the initial COVID-19 pandemic in terms of severity of the clinical, radiological and laboratory aspects, which resulted in a higher rate of patients with negative outcomes. CONCLUSIONS. Establishing the risk factors and issues with the greatest impact of the clinical case-management is crucial for targeted prevention and early intervention strategies for maintain the TB control at the regional trans-border level.