the association between pulmonary tuberculosis and bronchial anthracosis

Background: anthracosis is a form of pneumoconiosis induced by frequent contact with smoke from biomass, air pollution, charcoal smoke, or dust particles. objectives: this study aimed to investigate the association between anthracosis and pulmonary tuberculosis (tb). methods: in this cross-sectional study, 401 patients undergoing bronchoscopy were recruited, and their demographic characteristics, clinical features, bronchoscopy and imaging results, pathologic-cytologic reports, and acid-fast bacilli (afb) smear were recorded and analyzed. results: the bronchoscopic results of 220 patients (54.9%) were normal, 93 (23.2%) had anthracosis, and 32 patients (8%) had anthracofibrosis. positive pulmonary tb was significantly higher in patients with anthracosis or anthracofibrosis compared to those without (17.6% vs 4%; odds ratio (or) = 5.09; p < 0.001). patients with tb and anthracosis or anthracofibrosis had more prolonged contact with biomass (p = 0.002). logistic regression showed age (p = 0.003) and the presence or absence of anthracosis or anthracofibrosis (p = 0.006) as associated factors with pulmonary tb. conclusions: anthracosis is associated with other pulmonary diseases, including tb; therefore, if anthracosis or anthracofibrosis is diagnosed, coincidental pulmonary tb should also be evaluated.