Drug resistance pattern and outcome of treatment in recurrent episodes of tuberculosis

Patterns of drug resistance in recurrent cases of tuberculosis may be different than in those without a history of treatment. In this retrospective study, the drug resistance pattern and outcome of treatment with DOTS category I [CAT I] regimen was compared in 63 recurrent cases and 872 new cases of pulmonary tuberculosis from April 2003 to January 2008 at the National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease in Tehran, Islamic Republic of Iran. Resistance to isoniazid and ethambutol was significantly more common in recurrent cases, but there were no differences in rates of resistance to rifampin, pyrazinamide, streptomycin or the rate of multi-drug resistant strains. Resistance to streptomycin was the most common. No significant differences in treatment outcome and deaths were found between the 2 groups. Due to the low frequency of multi-drug resistance in the recurrent cases, a CAT I regimen may be suitable for empirical therapy before drug sensitivity results become available

[Medical surgical nursing department, nursing faculty Kashan university of medical sciences]

The quality of life [QOL] is an important indicator in management of the patients with diabetes Mellitus. The assessment of the QOL in patients with diabetes has been ignored in the kashan city. This investigation is performed in order to study the QOL and other associated factors in diabetes in Kashan diabetes center in 2006. In a cross-sectional study the three dimensions of QOL [general, health related and total] were evaluated among the random selection of 310 patients with diabetes referring to Kashan Diabetes Ceneter in 2006. A standard questionnaire was employed for this study. The relationship between QOL and other variables were analysed by SPSS 16 using T student, pearson, chi 2 and regression statistical methods. The 66.1% of the patients had low Total QOL. The health related QOL was low in 73.9% patients while the general QOL was low in 51.6% of patients. Only 11.3% of patients had high Total QOL. Insulin therapy, the kidney disease and hypertension had adverse affect in Total QOL [P>0.005]. The kind of diabetes, BMI, age and marital status had no significant relationship with QOL. The QOL in all dimensions was low in majority of patients. To improve the QOL in the patients, the management of the patients should focus on decreasing the complications of diabetes

Comparison of the effectiveness of 2 treatment regimens in patients with isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis

We compared the effectiveness of 2 treatment regimens for isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis [TB] in 42 patients attending a TB referral centre in the Islamic Republic of Iran. The patients were divided into 2 treatment groups: 26 received the 6-month standard HRZE treatment and 16 received a modified treatment of RZE for 6 months. There were no significant differences in age or sex of the groups. With the standard method of treatment, 21 [80.8%] patients were cured, 4 [15.4%] resulted in treatment failure, and 1 [3.8%] died. In the modified treatment group, 16 [100%] patients were cured. These differences were not statistically significantly different [P = 0.194]