Dynamics of fibrosis markers on the background of TB/HIV co-infection treatment

TB/HIV co-infection remains one of the biggest medical problems in Ukraine and the world. In tuberculosis, MTB stimulates immunocompetent cells to produce MMP-9, which destroys collagen fibers. The inhibitor of MMP-9 is TIMP1, and the product of destruction of collagen fibers is oxyproline. In HIV/TB co-infection, the immune response is altered. Therefore, we performed a study of the levels of MMP-9, TIMP-1 and oxyproline in patients with MDR-TB with HIV co-infection. The comparison group included TB patients without HIV. Our research revealed that the level of MMP-9 in patients with MDR-TB remained stable during the study. In patients with HIV/TB co-infection, there is a violation of the regulation of the balance of MMP-9 and TIMP-1, which affects the processes of fibrosis and causes a severe disease course.