Weight gain in patients with tuberculosis treated under directly observed treatment short-course (DOTS).

ABSTRACT

SET UP One Tuberculosis Unit (TU) in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India where Tuberculosis (TB) patients treated under Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) programme. OBJECTIVE: To identify the effects of weight gain among TB patients at the end of treatment on different factors such as socio-economic and demographic characteristics, smoking and drinking habits, treatment under supervision, the type of DOTS centres and problems in taking drugs. METHODS: TB patients registered between May 1999 and December 2004 formed the study population. Multiple regression method was used for the analysis. RESULTS: Among 1557 smear-positive TB patients registered under DOTS programme, the changes in weight ranged from a loss of 4 kgs to a gain of 20 kgs at the end of TB treatment; the average change in weight was 3.22 kgs. The gain in weight at the end of treatment was associated with age (<45 years), DOT at government centres, no problems in taking drugs as reported by patients and cure rate. CONCLUSION: The findings showed that there is an association between gain in weight with DOT at government centres and cure of patients.