Changes in chest X-ray findings in 1- and 2-month group after treatment initiation forsuspected pulmonary tuberculosis

Background/Aims@#Although re-evaluation of radiographic follow-up after 2 to 3 months of therapy is recommended for patients administered anti-tuberculosis medication owing to suspected pulmonary tuberculosis, reported findings are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate changes in 1- and 2-month chest X-ray (CXR) findings after the treatment initiation and compared them according to the final diagnosis of tuberculosis or non-tuberculosis. @*Methods@#Patients who started anti-tuberculosis medication for suspected pulmonary tuberculosis were selected at a tertiary referral hospital in South Korea between January 2012 and December 2015. Changes in the 1- and 2-month CXR findings were classified as improved, unchanged, and aggravated. @*Results@#Among the 120 patients enrolled in the 1-month CXR group, 76 (63.3%) had the final diagnosis of tuberculosis. Comparison between the 1-month CXR changes and diagnosis showed that the final diagnosis was tuberculosis in 81.8% (45/55), 50.0% (26/52), and 38.5% (5/13) of patients whose 1-month CXR was improved, unchanged, and aggravated, respectively. In the 2-month CXR group, 167 patients were enrolled, and 139 (83.2%) of them were diagnosed with tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was the final diagnosis in 92.6% (100/108), 70.0% (35/50), and 44.4% (4/9) patients with improved, unchanged, and aggravated 2-month CXR findings, respectively. In patients with the final diagnosis of non-tuberculosis, nontuberculousmycobacteria and malignancy were the most common causes of improved and aggravated 1- and 2-month CXR findings, respectively. @*Conclusions@#Two-month CXR findings were of limited value for deciding on whether to continue anti-tuberculosis treatment. One-month CXR findings could help determine the need for further work-up.

Treatment Outcomes after Discontinuation of Ethambutol due to Adverse Events in Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease

BACKGROUND@#Long-term administration of ethambutol (EMB) for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD) sometimes leads to permanent discontinuation of EMB due to various adverse events. This study aimed to investigate treatment outcomes after discontinuation of EMB.@*METHODS@#Among patients diagnosed with MAC-LD between January 2001 and December 2014, 508 patients whose treatment was initiated with standard regimen until May 2018 were enrolled at a tertiary referral center in Korea. Of these 508 patients, 60 (11.8%) discontinued EMB due to various adverse effects. Among these 60 patients, treatment outcomes were analyzed for 44 patients by comparing their outcomes with those of matched subjects who received the standard treatment regimen without EMB discontinuation.@*RESULTS@#The mean age of the 60 patients who discontinued EMB was 64.4 years. Ocular toxicity was the most common cause of discontinuation of EMB (75.0%, 45/60). The mean duration of EMB administration before its discontinuation was 7.0 ± 4.6 months. The treatment failure rate of the 44 patients with EMB discontinuation analyzed for treatment outcome was 29.6%, which was higher than that of the matched patients who received the standard regimen (18.3%), although the difference was not significant (P = 0.095). Of these 44 patients, EMB was substituted with later-generation fluoroquinolone in 23 patients, and the treatment failure rate of these 23 patients was significantly higher than that of the matched patients who received the standard regimen (39.1% vs. 19.3%, P = 0.045).@*CONCLUSION@#These findings suggest that treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory in patients with MAC-LD who discontinue EMB owing to adverse events. Notably, there was a statistically significant high failure rate in patients who were prescribed fluoroquinolone to replace EMB.

Treatment Outcomes after Discontinuation of Ethambutol due to Adverse Events in Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease

BACKGROUND: Long-term administration of ethambutol (EMB) for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD) sometimes leads to permanent discontinuation of EMB due to various adverse events. This study aimed to investigate treatment outcomes after discontinuation of EMB.METHODS: Among patients diagnosed with MAC-LD between January 2001 and December 2014, 508 patients whose treatment was initiated with standard regimen until May 2018 were enrolled at a tertiary referral center in Korea. Of these 508 patients, 60 (11.8%) discontinued EMB due to various adverse effects. Among these 60 patients, treatment outcomes were analyzed for 44 patients by comparing their outcomes with those of matched subjects who received the standard treatment regimen without EMB discontinuation.RESULTS: The mean age of the 60 patients who discontinued EMB was 64.4 years. Ocular toxicity was the most common cause of discontinuation of EMB (75.0%, 45/60). The mean duration of EMB administration before its discontinuation was 7.0 ± 4.6 months. The treatment failure rate of the 44 patients with EMB discontinuation analyzed for treatment outcome was 29.6%, which was higher than that of the matched patients who received the standard regimen (18.3%), although the difference was not significant (P = 0.095). Of these 44 patients, EMB was substituted with later-generation fluoroquinolone in 23 patients, and the treatment failure rate of these 23 patients was significantly higher than that of the matched patients who received the standard regimen (39.1% vs. 19.3%, P = 0.045).CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory in patients with MAC-LD who discontinue EMB owing to adverse events. Notably, there was a statistically significant high failure rate in patients who were prescribed fluoroquinolone to replace EMB.

Treatment Outcomes after Discontinuation of Ethambutol due to Adverse Events in Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease

BACKGROUND@#Long-term administration of ethambutol (EMB) for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD) sometimes leads to permanent discontinuation of EMB due to various adverse events. This study aimed to investigate treatment outcomes after discontinuation of EMB.@*METHODS@#Among patients diagnosed with MAC-LD between January 2001 and December 2014, 508 patients whose treatment was initiated with standard regimen until May 2018 were enrolled at a tertiary referral center in Korea. Of these 508 patients, 60 (11.8%) discontinued EMB due to various adverse effects. Among these 60 patients, treatment outcomes were analyzed for 44 patients by comparing their outcomes with those of matched subjects who received the standard treatment regimen without EMB discontinuation.@*RESULTS@#The mean age of the 60 patients who discontinued EMB was 64.4 years. Ocular toxicity was the most common cause of discontinuation of EMB (75.0%, 45/60). The mean duration of EMB administration before its discontinuation was 7.0 ± 4.6 months. The treatment failure rate of the 44 patients with EMB discontinuation analyzed for treatment outcome was 29.6%, which was higher than that of the matched patients who received the standard regimen (18.3%), although the difference was not significant (P = 0.095). Of these 44 patients, EMB was substituted with later-generation fluoroquinolone in 23 patients, and the treatment failure rate of these 23 patients was significantly higher than that of the matched patients who received the standard regimen (39.1% vs. 19.3%, P = 0.045).@*CONCLUSION@#These findings suggest that treatment outcomes are unsatisfactory in patients with MAC-LD who discontinue EMB owing to adverse events. Notably, there was a statistically significant high failure rate in patients who were prescribed fluoroquinolone to replace EMB.