CT Chest and pulmonary functional changes in patients with HTLV-associated myelopathy in the Eastern Brazilian Amazon

Pará State University. Center for Biological Sciences and Health. Belém, PA, Brazil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil.Ministério da Saúde. Secretaria de Vigilância em Saúde. Instituto Evandro Chagas. Ananindeua, PA, Brasil / Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Maternity of the Holy House. Radiology servisse. Belém, PA, Brazil.Maternity of the Holy House. Radiology servisse. Belém, PA, Brazil.Pará State University. Center for Biological Sciences and Health. Belém, PA, Brazil.Pará State University. Center for Biological Sciences and Health. Belém, PA, Brazil.Pará State University. Center for Biological Sciences and Health. Belém, PA, Brazil.Pará State University. Center for Biological Sciences and Health. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.Pará State University. Center for Biological Sciences and Health. Belém, PA, Brazil / Federal University of Pará. Tropical Medicine Center. Division of Infectious Diseases. Belém, PA, Brazil.The aim of this study was to compare computed tomography (CT) scans of chest and lung function among patients with Human T-Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 (HTLV) with and without HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). In this cross-sectional study performed between January 2013 and June 2016, we included 48 patients with HAM/TSP (19 women and 11 men) and without HAM/TSP (12 women and 6 men). We compared CT findings and lung functions of these groups. Patients who had HAM/TSP had abnormal CT findings (P = 0.000), including more frequent bronchiectasis (P = 0.049), parenchymal bands (P = 0.007), interlobular septal thickening (P = 0.035), and pleural thickening (P = 0.009). In addition, neither patients with HAM/TSP (9/30; 30%) nor the controls (0/18; 0%) had obstructive or restrictive lung disease (P = 0.009). HTLV diagnosis should be considered in all patients with abnormal CT findings in whom no other cause is apparent. It is important to remember that lung disease increases the rates of morbidity and mortality in developing countries