Malnutrition as an Independent Risk Factor for Relapse of Pulmonary Tuberculosis: A Hospital-Based Cross-Sectional Study from the Bundelkhand Region of Uttar Pradesh, India

Background

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a leading cause of death in India, and relapse after successful treatment continues to threaten elimination efforts. Undernutrition is common among TB patients but is rarely assessed as part of routine care, and regional data linking it to relapse are scarce. Aims and Objective: To examine the association between malnutrition and relapse of pulmonary TB, and to compare nutritional status, assessed by body mass index (BMI), mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC), and serum albumin, between patients with and without relapse. Materials and Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study enrolled 100 previously treated adult pulmonary TB patients over one year at a tertiary centre in Jhansi. Nutritional status was recorded using BMI, MUAC, and serum albumin. Relapse was confirmed by sputum smear, CBNAAT, and chest radiography. Data were analysed in SPSS 21 using the chi-square test, Student's t-test, and logistic regression, with p<0.05 taken as significant.