Challenges to paediatric tuberculosis care as perceived by health workers in Kano, North-western Nigeria

uberculosis (TB) remains the world's deadliest infectious disease that affects a third of the world's population and newly infected an estimated 10 million people in 2018. The number of TB infected Nigerians ranks sixth in the world and first in Africa. Kano State has the highest Nigerian TB prevalence. I aimed to identify Paediatric TB care challenges as perceived by Kano Medical and DOT health care providers. The study design was prospective, descriptive and cross sectional involving structured questionnaire interviews of 43 healthcare providers, during TB supervision visits of 10 Health facilities in Kano. Generated data was entered, validated and analysed using the STATA 13 statistical software package. The sample size was convenient, since it is the number of all the health providers working in the facilities assigned to the author for supervision under a supervision contract with KNCV in 2017. Of the 43 respondents, there were 26 males, with a M: F ratio of 1.5: 1. Those health workers aged from 30 and 40 years constituted 58% of respondents. The staff cadre of respondents comprised of Community Health Extension Workers [CHEW] (40%), doctors (30%) and nurses (3%). Up to 51% of respondents had over 10 years health worker experience and greater than 36 months Child TB DOT care provision. The most commonly identified challenges to paediatric TB care included poor health knowledge (97.7%), poor health seeking behaviour (95.4%), poverty (95.4%), the inability of children to cough up sputum 95.4%, late presentation (90.7%), contact tracing logistics (90.7 %), patient and community factors of stigma and discrimination (86%) and poor health worker paediatric TB knowledge (70%). Perceived health worker challenges to effective Paediatric TB care were the adult orientation of the TB programme and its contact tracing logistic challenges, inadequate health worker Paediatric TB knowledge, children's inability to cough up sputum, poverty, poor patient TB health knowledge, community stigma and discrimination, poor health seeking behaviour and late presentation.

Incidence and Predictors of Poor Outcome amongChildhood Tuberculosis in the North of Cameroon

Background. Childhood tuberculosis (TB) has been neglected by TB programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and predictors of poor outcome in children with TB in the North region of Cameroon. Methods.It was a retrospective cohort study based on hospital TB registers and treatment TB forms, in all of the 18 functional diagnosis and therapeutic centers (DTC) in the North region. All children aged 0-15years, on anti-TB treatment between 2010-2016 were enrolled. Logistic regression was used to find independent factors associated to poor outcome. Results. Of the 668 children included [321 (48.1%) boys], the median (25th-75thpercentile) age was 11(6-14) years, with 75.9% children aged >5 years. Pulmonary TB was the most common (62.9%) with 34.3% smear-negative pulmonary TB. Extrapulmonary TB (62.1%) was mostly found in children aged 0-5years. HIV/TB coinfection was 10.3%. Incidence (95%CI) of poor outcome was 4.0 %( 2.5-5.5%). Predictors [OR (95%CI)] of poor outcome were: HIV positivechildren [3.995(1.131-14.112), p=0.031], management in peripheral DTC [32.451(4.211-250.099), p=0.001], and transferred in patients from a peripheral zone toward a 3rdor 4thDTC category [4.602(1.092-19.386), p=0.037]. Conclusion.Incidence of poor outcome of childhood TB was quite low in the North region of Cameroon. HIV, peripheral TDC and transferred in patients were predictors of poor outcome. A better management of HIV, retraining DTC personnel and early reference from peripheral DTC would reduce poor outcome among childhood TB.

Melanoma cutáneo asociado a la mutación del gen BRAF en dos hospitales de la ciudad de Guatemala / Cutaneous melanoma associated with the mutation of the BRAF gene in two hospitals from Guatemala City

Los estudios de melanoma en Guatemala han sido pocos y únicamente se ha evaluado el aspecto clínico e histológico. El objetivo del presente estudio fue determinar la proporción de casos de melanoma cutáneo por morfología, inmunohistoquímica y mutación del gen BRAF en pacientes con diagnóstico de melanoma en dos centros de referencia, Instituto de Cancerología e Instituto de Dermatología en Guatemala. El estudio es de tipo descriptivo, retrospectivo, transversal. El tipo de muestreo es no probabilístico, con una muestra por conveniencia de 100 casos de tejidos de piel de pacientes, caracterizados por edad, sexo y localización del tumor. Los estudios moleculares incluyeron la determinación de la mutación de la proteína BRAF, por la técnica de PCR-RT. Los resultados muestran que el sexo más afectado es el femenino (54 %). El grupo etario con mayor número de casos es entre 56-75 años (44 %). El tipo histológico predominante es el melanoma lentiginoso acral (59 %) y la localización más frecuente es en miembro inferior (71 %). No se encontraron casos de melanoma lentigo maligno. La mutación del gen BRAF se encontró en el 6 % de los casos, lo que representa un dato importante para el pronóstico y tratamiento del paciente. Por ser uno de los primeros estudios que incluyen el factor molecular, abre paso a una línea de investigación que permita dar continuidad a los pacientes con melanoma en Guatemala, lo que permitirá determinar factores pronóstico y predictivos, así como tratamientos de los casos en estudio.

Studies of melanoma in Guatemala have been few and only the clinical and histological aspects have been evaluated. The objective of this study was to determine the proportion of cases of cutaneous melanoma by morphology, immunohistochemistry and mutation of the BRAF gene in patients diagnosed with Melanoma in two important reference centers, Institute of Cancerology (Incan) and Institute of Dermatology of Guatemala (Inderma). The study is descriptive, retrospective, transversal. The type of sampling is non-probabilistic, with a convenience sample calculation of 100 cases of patient skin biopsies, characterized by age, sex and tumor anatomic location. Molecular studies included the determination of the BRAF protein mutation by means of the RT-PCR technique. Results show that the most affected sex is the female (54 %). Age group with the highest number of cases is between 56 and 75 years old (44 % of cases). The histological type that predominated is acral lentiginous melanoma (59 %) and the most frequent location is in the lower limb (71 %). No cases of malignant lentigo melanoma were found in the cases studied. The BRAF gene mutation was found in 6 % of the cases, which represents an important data for the prognosis and treatment of the patient. In addition, being one of the first studies that include the molecular factor, it opens the way to a line of research that allows patients with melanoma to continue in Guatemala. This would allow to determine prognostic and predictive factors, as well as treatments of the cases under study.

Del "armamento antituberculoso" al Sanatorio para Tuberculosos de Huipulco en la Ciudad de México, 1920-1940 / The road from the "antituberculosis armory" to the Huipulco Tuberculosis Sanatorium in Mexico City, 1920-1940

Resumen Este artículo estudia las diferentes propuestas y estrategias para prevenir los contagios de la tuberculosis pulmonar implementadas en la Ciudad de México a partir de la década de 1920, al comenzar la primera campaña de largo aliento contra esa enfermedad, y analiza las limitaciones y problemas a los que ésta se enfrentó hasta 1940. Se destaca por qué la contención de los contagios de esa enfermedad ocupó un lugar prioritario después de diez años de guerra civil; se presta atención a los modelos y estrategias implementados y se examinan los problemas por lo que atravesó la construcción y el funcionamiento del Sanatorio para Tuberculosos de Huipulco, sustento clave de la lucha antituberculosa desde tiempo atrás a nivel internacional.

Abstract This article discusses the various proposals and strategies to prevent the transmission of pulmonary tuberculosis in the City of Mexico from the 1920s decade onwards, when it was launched the first long-term campaign against the disease, and analyses the limitations and challenges faced until 1940. It looks upon the motives that led the need to contain the transmission of the disease to occupy a dominant role after ten years of civil war; it focuses on the models and strategies implemented, and examines the challenges faced by the construction and operation of the Huipulco Tuberculosis Sanatorium, a key component of the fight against tuberculosis at the international level since long ago.

Factors Influencing Smoking Behavior in Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis / 임상간호연구

PURPOSE: This study was to investigate the factors affecting smoking behavior in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis. METHODS: The participants were 130 pulmonary tuberculosis patients at a national tuberculosis hospital. Using a descriptive survey design, data were collected from January to March in 2016 and were analyzed using binominal logistic regression. RESULTS: As a result of a correlation analysis of the data, depression had a significant positive correlation with smoking (r=.19, p=.030), stress (r=.54, p < .001), respectively. And depression had a significant negative correlation with smoking-related self-efficacy (r=−.20, p=.023). Smokingrelated self-efficacy, smoking (r=−.79, p < .001), and stress (r=−.23, p=.008) had a significant negative correlation with each other, respectively. The factors affecting the smoking behavior were smoking-related self-efficacy (OR=1.46, p < .001), sex (OR=67.36, p=.001), occupation (OR=17.51, p=.014), and depression (OR=1.16, p=.024). Those factors explained 84.7% (Negelkerke's R2=.847) of pulmonary tuberculosis patients' smoking behavior. CONCLUSION: Developing and applying a prevention eduction for reducing depression and enhancing smoking-related self-efficacy may become a venue toward good prognosis of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Influence of Stigma and Social Support on Depressive Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis / 정신간호학회지

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to examine the relationships between depressive symptoms, stigma and social support in hospitalized PTB (pulmonary tuberculosis) patients. METHODS: Participants were 256 patients with PTB who were admitted in two national tuberculosis hospitals. RESULTS: Higher levels of stigma were significantly related to depressive symptoms in patients with PTB. Self-reports of social support by medical staff were negatively associated with depressive symptoms in patients with PTB. Stigma and social support by medical staff were found to be significant predictors of depressive symptoms after controlling for potential confounders. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that intervention for depressive symptoms be incorporated into treatment for patients with PTB, and strategies to decrease TB-related stigma and increase social support by medical staff be provided to prevent depressive symptoms.

Characteristics of Drug Resistant Tuberculosis in Sanatoria of North Korea

Although several reports about drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB) in North Korea have been published, a nationwide surveillance on this disease remains to be performed. This study aims to analyze the drug resistance patterns of Mycobacterium tuberculosis among the patients in the sanatoria of North Korea, especially during the period when second-line drugs (SLDs) had not yet been officially supplied to this country. The Eugene Bell Foundation (EBF) transferred 947 sputum specimens obtained from 667 patients from 2007 to 2009 to the Clinical Research Center, Masan National Tuberculosis Hospital (MNTH), South Korea. Four hundred ninety-two patients were culture positive for TB (73.8%). Drug susceptibility test (DST) was performed for the bacilli isolated from 489 patients. Over 3 quarters of the cases (76.9%) were multidrug-resistant (MDR)-TB. Additionally, 2 patients had extremely drug-resistant (XDR)-TB. Very high resistance to first-line drugs and low resistance to fluoroquinolones (FQs) and injectable drugs (IDs) except for streptomycin (S) were detected. A small but significant regional variation in resistance pattern was observed. Big city regions had higher rate of MDR-TB, higher resistance to FQs and IDs than relatively isolated regions. In conclusion, significant number of drug-resistant TB was detected in North Korean sanatoria, and small but significant regional variations in resistance pattern were noticeable. However, the data in this study do not represent the nationwide drug resistance pattern in North Korea. Further large-scale evaluations are necessary to estimate the resistance pattern of TB in North Korea.

Prediction Model for Health-Related Quality of Life in Hospitalized Patients with Pulmonary Tuberculosis

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to construct and test a structural equation model of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) among hospitalized patients with pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB). METHODS: Participants were 256 patients with PTB who were 20 years or older and admitted in two national tuberculosis hospitals. The patients participated in pulmonary function testing and responded to structured questionaries. RESULTS: The goodness-of-fit statistics of the final hypothetical model were as follows: χ2/df=2.19, RMSEA=.07, SRMR=.05, GFI=.95, NFI=.95, CFI=.96, TLI=.92, and PCFI=.52. Symptoms and general health perception had significant direct effects, and subjective economic status, social support and stigma had significant indirect effect on HRQoL of hospitalized patients with PTB. These variables explained 64% of variance in the prediction model. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that strategies and intervention for physical symptoms and depressive symptoms are crucial to improve the quality of life in hospitalized patients with PTB. The development of various social support programs is also recommended.

Nosocomial Infection Surveillance in a Tuberculosis Specialized Hospital in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Nosocomial infections (NIs) are a critical issue affecting the quality of healthcare. In this study, we performed a retrospective study to explore the incidence rates, mortality rates, and microbial spectrum of NIs in Beijing Chest Hospital, a tuberculosis (TB) specialized hospital in China. Our data demonstrate that the overall incidence rate of inpatients with NIs slightly decreased from 2012 to 2016, which may be associated with the implementation of hand hygiene measures, while the mortality rates associated with NI did not significantly change. In addition, the species distribution of NIs was quite different from that presented in previous reports, and Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most frequently isolated microorganism.

YI Kwang Su's Love and history records of modern hospital under the japanese colonial period / 의사학

This article aims to evaluate and analyze the description of the modern hospital as history record, which appeared in YI Kwang Su's novel Love. This novel has mentioned in detail western style clinic, Bukgando Catholic hospital, tuberculosis sanitarium as its main space. Modern hospitals are depicted in the novel has a great significance in historical aspect as well as in literary aspect. The most data on modern hospital is laws, statistics and newspaper archives. These materials are a great help to understand the history and status of the modern hospital. Literary description here is important materials, that specific to reconstruct the appearance of the modern hospital at that time. Literary representations infuse life into the history record. In this regard, Love has special meaning in the history of Korean modern literature. Before anything else, doctor AN Bin's clinic as a first space of the novel vividly shows the reality of the Western style clinic and a general practitioner under the colonial period. The establishment of the hospital was based on ⌜Rules on private hospital⌟ declared by the Japanese Government General of Korea in 1919. According to this Rules, a private clinic's founder had to submit the documents to the director of police affairs, in which all the details were written. It included name of hospital, site location and size, floor plan of a nearby building, each size of patient's rooms, number of steps and emergency exit, bath, toilet, disinfecting room. AN Bin's clinic was a private hospital with the requirements in the rules. The descriptions of this clinic re-created real situation of private hospitals, specifically scale of hospital, interior space, conditions of patient's room at the time. The second modern hospital in the novel is Bukgando Catholic hospital. There is a lot more materials on medical activity and hospital of protestant churches than we thought. But we do not have a lot of information on catholic church's medical activities and hospital. In this respect, Bukgando Catholic hospital in Love has a great value as historical material. The medical activity of catholic churches was weak than protestant's one under the japanese colonial period. But there were catholic church's medical activities and hospitals. The catholic church's professional medical activities are mainly deployed since the 1930s in earnest, especially Bukgando Catholic hospital played an important role. The catholic hospital in this novel is valuable material to understand medical activities of catholic church. Third form of the modern hospital described in the Love is tuberculosis sanitarium. WADA Tomomi maintained that the model of Bukhan sanitarium was Kyeongseong sanitarium, that was established by the seventh-day adventist in 1936. She thinks, that the adventist church's treatment is similar to Bukhan sanitarium's. The therapy of the adventist church, however, was common from tuberculosis treatment at the time and AN Bin was not adventist. And WADA Tomomi said that ‘ozone’ therapy of Bukhan sanitarium came from Kyeongseong sanitarium. But we can find this therapy in Haeju sanitarium. In this respect, AN Bin's sanitarium is similar to Haeju sanitarium. YI Kwang Su had not modeled his Bukhan sanitarium on certain sanitarium. He had integrated the materials on sanitarium and envisioned Bukhan sanitarium. Here Haeju sanitarium played important role than Kyeongseong sanitarium. In conclusion, Love has a special meaning as an important historical material, that restore and understand the history of the modern hospital. Literature is worth as a record of the society. In particular, novel infuses human breath into the history record, as if we can see the motion picture.

Predictors of job satisfaction and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians / 한국역학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study examined job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout among tuberculosis management nurses and physicians in public healthcare institutions. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study analyzing survey data collected from 249 nurses and 57 physicians in 105 public health centers, three public tuberculosis hospitals, and one tertiary hospital. The survey questionnaire comprised general characteristics, work-related characteristics, and four index scales (job satisfaction, empowerment, job stress, and burnout). The two-sample t-test was used to estimate the mean differences in the four index scales. Multiple regression analysis was used to determine whether general and work-related characteristics affected the four index scales. RESULTS: The job satisfaction and empowerment scores of the nurses were lower than those of the physicians. Except for the tuberculosis-specialized hospitals alone, the average job satisfaction scores of nurses were higher than those of physicians. Moreover, the nurses reported more job stress and burnout than did the physicians in tuberculosis departments in public healthcare institutions in Korea; in particular, the burnout reported by nurses was significantly higher than that reported by physicians at the National Medical Center. Marital status, nursing position, number of coworkers, the average number of days of overtime work per month, self-rated health, and hospital type were associated with the four index scales. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, nurses were more vulnerable to job stress and burnout than physicians. Reducing the workload of nurses by ensuring the presence of sufficient nursing staff and equipment, as well as by equipping facilities to prevent tuberculosis infections, should be considered priorities.

The Epidemiological Characteristics of Beijing Lineage Mycobacterium tuberculosis from a National Referral Center in China / 生物医学与环境科学（英文）

Our study was to investigate the epidemiological characteristics of M.tuberculosis from a national tuberculosis referral center in China. All strains isolated from TB patients, were genotyped by the RD105 deletion, 8 and 51 SNP loci and VNTR. The high differentiation SNPs of modern Beijing strains were analyzed for protein function and structure. 413 M. tuberculosis were included. Of 379 Beijing lineage M. tuberculosis, 'modern' and 'ancient' strains respectively represented 85.5% (324/379) and 14.5% (55/379). Rv2494 (V48A) and Rv0245 (S103F) were confirmed as high differentiation SNPs associated with modern strains. In a word, Modern Beijing lineage M.tuberculosis was dominant and the structural models suggested that modern sub-lineage may more easily survive in 'extreme' host condition.

Nursing care in Tuberculosis patients at a Spanish sanatorium, 1943-1975 / Cuidados de enfermagem em pacientes com tuberculose em um sanatório espanhol 1943-1975 / Cuidados enfermeros en portadores de Tuberculosis en un Sanatorio español, 1943-1975

OBJECTIVES: the objective in this study is to identify the profile of the nursing staff, the work conditions and to describe nursing care at a sanatorium located in Barcelona, Spain between 1943 and 1975. METHOD: historical study undertaken between 2008 and 2010, based on oral sources, five direct and one indirect testimonies, and the analysis of written documents. The data from the testimonies were collected through semistructured interviews. RESULTS: the nursing staff, mostly religious women, had scarce material and economic resources and no preventive measures to take care of the ill. The nurses undertook activities centered on the basic needs for physical and spiritual wellbeing. CONCLUSION: The study reveals how the nurses, despite working in hostile conditions, attempted to safeguard the wellbeing of the patients and accompany them during the death process. .

OBJETIVOS: o objetivo deste estudo foi identificar como era o perfil dos enfermeiros, quais eram as condições de trabalho e descrever os cuidados de enfermagem de um sanatório, localizado em Barcelona, Espanha, entre 1943 e 1975. MÉTODO: estudo histórico, realizado entre 2008 e 2010, a partir de fontes orais, cinco testemunhas diretas e uma indireta, e a análise de documentos escritos. Os dados dos testemunhos foram coletados através de entrevista semiestruturada. RESULTADOS: verifica-se que os enfermeiros, em sua maioria mulheres religiosas, dispunham de recursos materiais e financeiros escassos, e não contavam com medidas preventivas para o atendimento aos pacientes. As enfermeiras realizavam atividades voltadas para as necessidades básicas de bem-estar físico e espiritual. CONCLUSÃO: o estudo revela como as enfermeiras, apesar de trabalharem em condições hostis, procuravam salvaguardar o bem-estar dos pacientes e acompanhá-los durante o processo de morte. .

OBJETIVOS: el propósito de este estudio es identificar cómo era el perfil del personal de enfermería, cuáles eran las condiciones de trabajo y describir los cuidados enfermeros de un sanatorio ubicado en Barcelona, España, entre 1943-1975. MÉTODO: estudio histórico realizado entre 2008-2010, a partir de fuentes orales,cinco testimonios directos y uno indirecto, y el análisis de documentos escritos. Los datos de los testimonios fueron recolectados mediante entrevista semiestructurada. RESULTADOS: se constata que el personal de enfermería, en su mayoría mujeres religiosas, dispuso de escasos recursos materiales y económicos, y no contó con medidas preventivas para el cuidado de los enfermos. Las enfermeras realizaron actividades centradas en las necesidades básicas de bienestar físico y espiritual. CONCLUSIÓN: El estudio revela cómo las enfermeras, a pesar de trabajar en condiciones hostiles procuraron salvaguardar el bienestar de los enfermos y acompañarlos durante el proceso de muerte. .

A retrospective study of seasonal variation in the number of cases diagnosed at a tertiary care tuberculosis hospital.

Objective. To study the seasonality of tuberculosis (TB) in a tertiary care tuberculosis and respiratory hospital in Delhi. Methods. Data from a tertiary care respiratory hospital in south Delhi over a six years period from April 2002 to March 2008 were analysed. Results. Symptomatics: A total of 192,863 patients were registered newly in the hospital during this period. Maximum number of symptomatic patients reported to the out-patient department during April-June and the minimum during October-December. An increase of about 25% in symptomatics was observed (p<0.05) in the period from April to June in comparison to October to December. The amplitude of seasonal variation was estimated as 11% of the annual mean symptomatics. Tuberculosis cases: The maximum sputum-positive TB cases were diagnosed during the period from April to June and the number was least during October to December. There was an increase of about 34% in sputum-positive cases (p<0.001) during the period from April to June against October to December. The amplitude of seasonal variation was estimated as 14.4% of the annual mean smear-positives per quarter. The extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) cases were the maximum during April-June. Chest symptomatics of all types of TB cases were the lowest in January. Conclusions. A seasonal pattern of TB was observed for pulmonary TB and EPTB cases. This information would be useful for administration and managers to take extra care to arrange and provide extra facilities during the peak seasons.

Treatment Outcome and Mortality among Patients with Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis in Tuberculosis Hospitals of the Public Sector

This study was conducted to evaluate treatment outcome, mortality, and predictors of both in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at 3 TB referral hospitals in the public sector of Korea. We included MDR-TB patients treated at 3 TB referral hospitals in 2004 and reviewed retrospectively their medical records and mortality data. Of 202 MDR-TB patients, 75 (37.1%) had treatment success and 127 (62.9%) poor outcomes. Default rate was high (37.1%, 75/202), comprising 59.1% of poor outcomes. Male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-7.49), positive smear at treatment initiation (aOR, 5.50; 95% CI, 1.22-24.90), and extensively drug-resistant TB (aOR, 10.72; 95% CI, 1.23-93.64) were independent predictors of poor outcome. The all-cause mortality rate was 31.2% (63/202) during the 3-4 yr after treatment initiation. In conclusion, the treatment outcomes of patients with MDR-TB at the 3 TB hospitals are poor, which may reflect the current status of MDR-TB in the public sector of Korea. A more comprehensive program against MDR-TB needs to be integrated into the National Tuberculosis Program of Korea.

Treatment Outcome and Mortality among Patients with Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis in Tuberculosis Hospitals of the Public Sector

This study was conducted to evaluate treatment outcome, mortality, and predictors of both in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at 3 TB referral hospitals in the public sector of Korea. We included MDR-TB patients treated at 3 TB referral hospitals in 2004 and reviewed retrospectively their medical records and mortality data. Of 202 MDR-TB patients, 75 (37.1%) had treatment success and 127 (62.9%) poor outcomes. Default rate was high (37.1%, 75/202), comprising 59.1% of poor outcomes. Male sex (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 2.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-7.49), positive smear at treatment initiation (aOR, 5.50; 95% CI, 1.22-24.90), and extensively drug-resistant TB (aOR, 10.72; 95% CI, 1.23-93.64) were independent predictors of poor outcome. The all-cause mortality rate was 31.2% (63/202) during the 3-4 yr after treatment initiation. In conclusion, the treatment outcomes of patients with MDR-TB at the 3 TB hospitals are poor, which may reflect the current status of MDR-TB in the public sector of Korea. A more comprehensive program against MDR-TB needs to be integrated into the National Tuberculosis Program of Korea.

Importancia del reposo en los sanatorios para tuberculosos / The importance of rest in sanatoria for tuberculous patients

Since ancient times the main indication for the treatment of pulmonary phthisis consisted in prescribing trips to better climates, horseback riding or walking outdoors. In the second half of the XIXth century, the concept of sanatoria for TB therapy was developed in Europe, in order to confine patients in premises where abundant food, exposition to puré air and graded exercises were provided. In those places, rest progressively acquired more importance, becoming a thoroughly established ritual. In the XXth century, the regulations for the recently founded Chilean sanatoriums incorporated European schedules. In the case of Hospital Sanatorio El Peral, the rules became progressively stricter until 1952, when permanent rest in bed was determined as the regime required. This rule could be explained by the policy of using this sanatorium for the treatment of more serious forms of the disease.

Desde la antigüedad, la indicación principal para el tratamiento de la tisis pulmonar consistía en prescribir viajes hacia climas más benignos, cabalgar o caminar al aire libre. En la segunda mitad del siglo XIX se desarrolló en Europa en concepto de sanatorios para la terapia de la tuberculosis (TBC), con el objeto de confinar a los pacientes en un establecimiento que les proporcionaba alimentación abundante, aire puro y ejercicios físicos graduales. En esos lugares adquirió progresivamente mayor importancia el reposo, que se convirtió en un ritual minuciosamente establecido. En el siglo XX los reglamentos de los sanatorios chilenos, recientemente fundados, incorporaron las disposiciones europeas. En el caso del Hospital Sanatorio El Peral, el reglamento se hizo progresivamente más estricto hasta determinar en 1952 que el régimen habitual era la permanencia de los pacientes en cama. Esta norma podría explicarse por la política de destinar dicho establecimiento al tratamiento de formas graves de la enfermedad.

Acquired Drug Resistance during Standardized Treatment with First-line Drugs in Patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis / 결핵및호흡기질환

BACKGROUND: First-line drugs, if sensitive, are the most potent drugs in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). This study examined the frequency and risk factors associated with acquired drug resistance to first-line drugs during a standardized treatment using first-line drugs in patients with MDR-TB. METHODS: This study included patients who were diagnosed with MDR-TB at the National Masan Tuberculosis Hospital between January 2004 and May 2008, treated with standardized first-line drugs, and for whom the preand post-treatment results of the drug susceptibility test were available. Their medical records were reviewed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of 41 MDR-TB patients, 14 (34.1%) acquired additional resistance to ethambutol (EMB) or pyrazinamide (PZA). Of 11 patients initially resistant to isoniazid (INH) and rifampicin (RFP), 3 (27.3%) acquired additional resistance to both EMB and PZA, and 3 (27.3%) to PZA. Of 18 patients initially resistant to INH, RFP and EMB, 6 (33.3%) acquired additional resistance to PZA. Of 6 patients initially resistant to INH, RFP and PZA, 2 (33.3%) acquired additional resistance to EMB. Ten of the 41 MDR-TB patients (24.4%) changed from resistant to susceptible. No statistically significant risk factors associated with acquired resistance could be found. CONCLUSION: First-line drugs should be used cautiously in the treatment of MDR-TB in Korea considering the potential acquisition of drug resistance.