A survey of prescribing pattern for osteoarticular tuberculosis: Orthopaedic surgeons’ and infectious disease experts’ perspective.

ABSTRACT

Introduction: This study examines the perspective of senior orthopaedic faculty and infectious disease experts from the Indian subcontinent and other countries on the appropriate duration of multi drug antitubercular chemotherapy in osteoarticular tuberculosis. Material and methods: A questionnaire regarding what antitubercular drugs, their dosage and for how long was asked to attending faculty in an International Conference on musculoskeletal infections. Results: Thirty different prescriptions were obtained from a total of 52 respondents. Forty-two respondents voted against short course (6 months) regimen. The mode value for duration of treatment with isoniazid and rifampicin treatment in the study was 12 months; for pyrazinamide, it was three months. There was almost no consensus over the duration of treatment with ethambutol. Conclusion: There is a strong need to assess long term impact of DOTS in osteoarticular tuberculosis to facilitate the National Tuberculosis Programme planning, uniform training, wider acceptance, drug ordering and distribution. An effective communication between those planning national tuberculosis programmes and experts in osteoarticular tuberculosis is essential for universal acceptance of the management protocols.