[The role of genetically determined haptoglobin phenotypes in patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis].

Haptoglobin (Hp) was phenotyped in 567 apparently healthy individuals and 223 patients with destructive pulmonary tuberculosis, including 163 as newly-detected and 60 as recurrent cases. Three phenotypes of haptoglobin were identified, i.e. two homozygotic (Hp 1:1 and Hp 2:2) and one heterozygotic (Hp 2:1). It was revealed that among the pulmonary tuberculosis patients, both newly detected and recurrent cases, the number of Hp 2:2 carriers significantly increased, as compared to healthy individuals, while that of Ph 2:1 carriers decreased. A certain relation between the course of destructive pulmonary tuberculosis and genetically determined types of Hp was found. Sputum conversion and cavity closure in Hp 2:2 and Hp 1:1 phenotype carriers, as compared to Hp 2:1 ones, occurred more infrequently and in later periods. It is felt that the presence of the 2:2 phenotype is an adverse hereditary factor in relation to tuberculosis.