To analyze the clinical characteristic relevance between different non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) and NTM related pulmonary diseases (NTM-PD) in Guangzhou.

We performed a retrospective analysis of 112 NTM-PD patients in Guangzhou from January 2016 to December 2020, analyzing the symptom, radiological characteristic, and risk factor of all NTM-PD patients.

In all 112 NTM-PD patients, the age of 78.7% (48/61) male patients and 84.3% (43/51) female patients was over 50. NTM infection was also highly related with the age of patient (r=0.16, P=0.018). 71.4% (80) patients were infected with M. intracellulare in all 112 NTM-PD patients. Male patients (61) were more likely to have cough (48) (χ²=3.27, P=0.03), but female patients (51) were more likely to have hemoptysis (14) (χ²=5.39, P=0.021). The older patients (91) were more likely to have hemoptysis (16) (r=0.21, P=0.015) , but the younger patients (21) were more likely to have shortness of breath (10) (r=0.17, P=0.023). The most common radiological presentation of NTM-PD was bronchiectasis 40.2% (45/112), pulmonary nodule 36.6% (41/112), multiple cavities 38.4% (43/112). The most common risk factor of NTM infection was tuberculosis 66.1% (74/112), bronchiectasis 25.0% (28/112), COPD 17.9% (20/112). Compared with female patients, male patients were more likely to have COPD (OR=5.23, 95%CI 5.20~72.60). The patients infected with M. intracellulare were more likely to have bronchiectasis (OR=0.13, 95%CI 0.09~0.86).

The most common pathogenic NTM species was M. intracellulare in Guangzhou. NTM infection was highly related with the age of patient. The most common radiological presentation of NTM-PD was bronchiectasis, pulmonary nodule, and multiple cavities. Tuberculosis infection and organ transplantation were also high risk factor of NTM infection.