A review of 280 nasopharyngeal tuberculosis cases and the effectiveness of antituberculosis treatments

Objectives

Nasopharyngeal tuberculosis is a rare form of tuberculosis in which Mycobacterium tuberculosis infects the nasopharyngeal tissue. In this study, we analyzed key clinical features to prevent misdiagnosis and to raise awareness of the condition, while recommending suitable treatments. We also report a case of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis presenting with nasal congestion and intermittent ear fullness, contributing valuable educational insight for diagnosis.

Methods

Demographic and clinical data from patients with nasopharyngeal tuberculosis were collected from PubMed, Embase, Web of Science and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials up to September 2022. In total, 280 patients from 69 studies were analyzed.

Results

Reports indicate that the incidence of nasopharyngeal tuberculosis has doubled every decade, particularly in Asia. Most patients are female, presenting with granulomatous pathology and findings such as masses, lymphoid hyperplasia, polypoid formations, or swelling on endoscopic examination. Common symptoms include nasal obstruction, hearing impairment, sore throat, and dysphagia, usually accompanied by cervical lymphadenopathy. The mean duration from symptom onset to diagnosis is ∼2.88 months, and the average time from the start of treatment to resolution of symptoms is ∼ 4.90 months. The antituberculosis treatment regimen and duration are significantly associated with the time to resolution (r = −0.648, p = 0.003 and r = 0.584, p = 0.028, respectively).

Conclusion

These results suggest that an extended regimen of antituberculosis drugs may expedite symptom relief. However, there is a need for more standardized data on patient outcomes and treatment efficacy due to the current lack of comprehensive data.