Tuberculosis-Related Outcomes in Dermatologic Patients Receiving Systemic Therapy

How does tuberculosis (TB) risk vary across systemic therapies used in treating dermatologic diseases?In this systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 studies including 15 005 patients, pooled incidence of active TB was 1.0%, and of latent TB infection conversion, 4.3%. Conventional immunosuppressants were associated with higher TB incidence, whereas tumor necrosis factor inhibitors showed higher risk among biologics, particularly in high-burden regions.These findings suggest that TB risk in dermatologic patients receiving systemic therapy varies by treatment mechanism and epidemiologic context, supporting risk-stratified screening and monitoring strategies.

Corresponding Authors: Tong Lin, MD, PhD (ddlin@hotmail.com), and Yin Yang, MD, PhD (yushiyy@163.com), Hospital for Skin Diseases, Institute of Dermatology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, 12 Jiangwangmiao St, Xuanwu District, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China.

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