MMP and TIMP concentrations at admission and 2 weeks into therapy correlate with sputum culture conversion at 2 weeks.

<p>(A) TBScore is not significantly different at baseline between sputum converters and non-converters. MMP-2, MMP-8 and MMP-9 and TIMP-2 (B–E) concentrations at diagnosis are higher in patients who remain culture positive at 2 weeks (shaded boxes) than those who culture convert (open boxes). At 2 weeks of treatment, MMP-3, MMP-8 and TIMP-1 (F–H) concentrations are elevated in patients who remain culture positive compared to those who are culture negative. Boxes indicate 25 and 75 centile with median value; whiskers are 10–90 centiles. (*) p<0.05 (**) p<0.01 and (***) p<0.001.