Nontuberculous Mycobacteria pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) is a chronic infectious lung disease caused by these bacteria, which has seen a significant rise in cases lately. This study aims to reveal the demographic characteristics, imaging findings, and pathogen distribution patterns of NTM-PD patients by looking back at clinical data.

It was selected that 205 patients diagnosed with NTM-PD at Xi′an Chest Hospital between June 2023 and May 2025. All participants met the diagnostic criteria from the Tuberculosis Branch of the Chinese Medical Association. It was extracted that data from the hospital′s electronic medical record system. This included patients′age, gender, medical history, comorbidities, clinical symptoms, imaging findings, and microbiological results.

Among the 205 patients, male 121 cases (59.02%) and female 84 cases (40.98%); 153 cases were aged ≥50 years (74.63%). Among the patients, 27 cases (13.17%) had a history of tuberculosis, 36 cases (17.56%) had concurrent bronchiectasis, and 25 cases (12.20%) had chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other comorbidities included abnormal blood glucose (including diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, and hyperglycemia), hepatitis, pneumoconiosis, and tumors. Among males, 22 cases (18.18%)with COPD higher than 3 cases (3.57%) in females. Females also had 20 cases (23.81%) of bronchiectasis higher than 16 cases (13.22%) in males (P<0.05). The main symptoms were cough in 169 cases (82.44%), expectoration in 151 cases (73.66%), dyspnea in 79 cases (38.54%), chest tightness in 54 cases (26.34%), fever in 39 cases (19.02%), chest pain in 22 cases (10.73%), and hemoptysis in 32 cases (15.61%). The incidence of fever was higher in males 30 cases(24.79%) than in females 9 cases(10.71%) (P<0.05). The imaging features of thorax were nodular 124 cases(60.49%) and cavity (74 cases, 36.10%), and other common features were bronchiectasis, lymphadenopathy, pleural effusion, pneumothorax, etc.The number of lung cavities was 62 cases in males (51.24%) and 12 cases in females (14.29%). The number of bronchiectasis was 31cases in females (36.90%) and 29 cases in males (23.97%)(P<0.05). The etiology was mainly intracellular mycobacteria 79 cases(38.54%), followed by Mycobacterium abscessus 38 cases(18.54%), Mycobacterium kansasii 30 cases(14.63%) and Mycobacterium avium 14 cases(6.83%).The proportions of Mycobacterium abscessus, Mycobacterium kansasii, and Mycobacterium avium were significantly different between males and females (P<0.05).

There are gender differences in the clinical characteristics and pathogen distribution of NTM-PD patients, emphasizing the need for early identification, which can help tailor treatments, and suggesting that more research is needed on its epidemiological features and treatment strategies.