Distinct serum metabolic profiles with supportive diagnostic value in differentiating tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease

This study provides a novel approach for the differential diagnosis of two major mycobacterial pulmonary diseases. The identified metabolites, particularly alterations in sphingoid base lipids and 2-HG, demonstrated robust discriminative potential. These findings support their potential role as biomarkers in clinical practice, enabling earlier and more accurate differentiation of TB and MAC-PD.