News 2025

Post-Tuberculosis Lung Disease is a common but often underestimated consequence of surviving tuberculosis. Worldwide, approximately 200,000 people have survived tuberculosis, many of whom suffer from long-term health issues resulting from lung damage caused by the disease. Estimates suggest that about 50% of survivors experience permanent limitations in physical performance and suffer from chronic respiratory diseases. This sequela presents a serious health challenge and often significantly impairs the quality of life.

The ASTRA study is led by Dr. Thomas Brehm, the international study director from the Borstel Research Center and the University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE). The study is supported by the Borstel Research Center’s study team, led by Dr. Niklas Köhler. Together with doctors from the National Hospital for Lung Diseases in Tirana, the Borstel team will implement the study in Albania. A key member of the research team is Irdi Tashi, an Albanian medical student in Germany, who is taking a one-year break from his studies to collect data in Tirana for his doctoral thesis on PTLD. Irdi Tashi is supervised by his doctoral advisor, Professor Christoph Lange, Medical Director at the Borstel Research Center.

“Although tuberculosis remains one of the most common infectious diseases worldwide, many patients survive the acute phase only to struggle with long-term consequences that are often not adequately diagnosed or treated,” explains Irdi Tashi. “With this study, we aim not only to better understand the extent of PTLD in Albania but also to raise awareness of the importance of focusing on the long-term care of tuberculosis survivors.”

Albania continues to be heavily affected by tuberculosis, and to date, the exact number of people suffering from PTLD in the country has not been systematically recorded. The ASTRA study will be the first comprehensive investigation of this condition in Albania. The goal is to document both the medical and social impacts of PTLD and develop targeted measures to improve the quality of life for affected patients.

The results of this study are not only of great importance for Albania but could also serve as a model for other countries facing similar challenges in post-tuberculosis care. The ASTRA study has the potential to bring international attention to PTLD and promote innovative solutions to support affected patients worldwide.

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