ABSTRACT
Background: The study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the pre-treatment drug susceptibility profile and to assess the influence of drug resistance on treatment outcome among patients treated with category- II (cat- II) regimen under programme conditions.Methods: This study was conducted on 58 smear positive patients with history of previous anti-tuberculosis treatment for more than one month, comprising cases of ‘Failure’, ‘Treatment after Default’ (TAD) and ‘Relapse’. They received cat- II regimen in Chennai Corporation, RNTCP (revised National tuberculosis control programme) centers from July 2006 to September 2006 and they were monitored upto July 2007 as per RNTCP guidelines to assess the outcome of cat-II treatment by sputum smear status.Results: Male dominance (n=40) was seen in the study participants. Most common age group affected was 35-44 years (n=20). Out of 57 cases, 50.9% cases come under ‘Relapse’, 26.3% arises from ‘TAD’ and 22.8% cases were from ‘Failure’. After completion of treatment with cat-II regimen, out of 57 patients 33 patients were cured and 11 cases were into the category of failure, 10 patients were defaulted during treatment and 3 were died.Conclusions: Besides, the low treatment efficiency in MDR-TB cases, cat- II regimen was effective in sensitive and INH resistant cases.
ABSTRACT
Objective: To assess the influence of drug resistance on treatment outcome among patients treated with Category-II regimen and document drug susceptibility pattern of “Failures” to this regimen. Design: A retrospective analysis of patients registered from May 1999 through December 2004. Results: Treatment success was 42% among 572 patients and was similar among patients with fully susceptible or resistant but non-MDR organisms (41% of 254 and 40% of 128 patients, respectively). Among 49 MDR-TB patients, 27% had successful treatment outcome. The failure rates among patients with fully susceptible, resistant but non-MDR and MDR bacilli, were 6%, 12% and 27% respectively. Default was significantly higher among males (53% vs. 34%: p<0.01) smokers (57% vs. 36%: p <0.001), alcoholics (58% vs. 39%: p <0.001) and patients with higher initial smear grading (2+ or 3+, 56% vs. scanty or 1+, 44%: p <0.01). DST results were available for 60% (31 of 52) of failures and 10 had MDR-TB. Conclusion: The low success rate to the re-treatment regimen was mainly due to non-compliance. Failure was observed among 9% of patients and MDR-TB was 32% among Category II failures. The currently recommended Category II regimen appears to be adequate for majority of re-treatment cases.