Survival of tuberculosis patients treated under DOTS in a rural Tuberculosis Unit (TU), south India.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To estimate survival probabilities and identify risk factors for death of tuberculosis (TB) patients during treatment period. METHODS: TB patients registered during May 1999 to December 2004 from a rural TB unit (TU) with a population of 580,000 in Tiruvallur district, South India, formed study population. Life table and Cox's regression methods were used. RESULTS: Of the 3818 TB patients who were initiated on treatment, 96, 94 and 97% of category--I, II and III respectively, were surviving after completion of treatment. Higher death rates were independently associated with patient's age (45 years), previous history of treatment, alcoholism and initial body weight (<35 kgs). CONCLUSION: The survival probability was found to be similar in all patients irrespective of categorization. Necessary actions need to be initiated in the programme to improve body weight and abstain from alcoholism.