Tuberculosis, Alcohol, and Lung Comorbidities (TALC) Study

Grant Title: The Role of Alcohol Use in Lung Disease After Treatment for Active TB Disease Among Persons Living with HIV

The Tuberculosis, Alcohol, and Lung Comorbidities (TALC) Study will investigate hazardous drinking as a modifiable risk factor for post-TB lung disease in PWH over the course of an 18-month observational study of 200 PWH completing pulmonary TB treatment in Mbarara, Uganda. The study will evaluate the following post-TB lung disease outcomes: functional exercise capacity (primary outcome assessed by 6-minute walk distance), lung physiology (pulmonary function tests), anatomy (CT scan), and lung infections. The primary exposure is past-year hazardous drinking. Secondary alcohol measures will include 30- day Timeline Followback (calendar-based method of alcohol use recall) and phosphatidylethanol (PEth; a biomarker of recent alcohol use). The study’s primary aim (Aim 1a) is to determine the relationship between past-year hazardous drinking and post-TB lung disease. Aim 1b will assess the association of past-month heavy drinking and post-TB lung disease progression over time. Aim 1c will explore whether smoking modifies the association of past- month heavy drinking and post-TB lung disease progression over time. In Aim 2, the study team will qualitatively evaluate factors that can improve tailoring of pharmaco-behavioral alcohol and smoking interventions in PWH receiving TB treatment.

Project Lead:

Kaku So-Armah, PhD
Associate Professor
Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
kaku@bu.edu

Study Contact:

Sarah Rossi, MPH
Research Project Manager
Boston Medical Center
sarah.rossi@bmc.org

Study Staff and Investigators: 

Click here to view information for additional study staff and investigators.

Recruitment Site:

Mbarara, Uganda

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  • Kaku So-Armah, TALC Project Lead, leading study staff training

  • TALC study staff at the TALC-GRAIL study launch party

  • TALC staff participating in study staff training

  • TALC and GRAIL study teams in Mbarara, Uganda (L-R: Judy Hahn, Sarah Rossi, Nneka Emenyonu, Jeffrey Samet, Ve Truong, Karsten Lunze)

  • TALC and GRAIL study team members shortly after arriving in Uganda (L-R: Kaku So-Armah, Judy Hahn, Jeffrey Samet, Sarah Rossi, Ve Truong, Karsten Lunze)

  • Cake at the TALC-GRAIL study launch party

  • Naomi Sanyu, TALC Field Coordinator, and Judy Hahn, TRAC Study Project Lead.

  • TALC and GRAIL study teams at the combined study launch party

  • TALC study staff at the TALC-GRAIL study launch party

  • Sarah Rossi, TALC Research Project Manager, participating in study staff training

  • Naomi Sanyu, TALC Field Coordinator, participating in study staff training

  • TALC and GRAIL study teams in Mbarara, Uganda for study training

  • Naomi Sanyu, TALC Field Coordinator, participating in study staff training

  • Sarah Rossi, TALC Research Project Manager, at the TALC-GRAIL study launch party

  • Jeffrey Samet, International URBAN ARCH Center Principal Investigator, participating in study staff training