Clinical Characteristics, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Clinical Outcomes of TB Patients at a Private University Hospital in Korea

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Even though tuberculosis (TB) is still a major public concern in Korea, there are few data on the management of TB patients and its outcome in the private sector in contrast with those of the public sector. METHODS: The nine-hundred-twelve TB patients who were registered in a private university hospital from 2001 to 2002 were enrolled. The patients were divided into pulmonary (TB(P)), extrapulmonary (TB(E)), and combined (TB(P+E)) groups, and were also divided into initial and retreatment groups. The clinical characteristics, diagnostic methods, treatment regimens, and outcomes were analyzed and compared between the groups. RESULTS: The mean age of 912 patients was 49.2 years and the male-to-female ratio was 56%44%. The number of patients of the initial and retreatment groups of TB(P), and those of (TB(E)+TB(P)+E) were 449, 169, 237, 57, respectively. The bacteriological study was performed in 97.9%, and positive culture was confirmed in 54.5% and 29.6% of patients with TB(P) and (TB(E)+TB(P)+E), respectively (P<0.05). The AFB smear was positive in 40.8% of TB(P) patients. The PCR was done in 63.6% of (TB(E)+TB(P)+E) group. The MDR was detected in 7.6% of isolates. Overall, treatment completion rate was 74.6%, default rate 13.7%, and death rate 0.5%. CONCLUSION: Even though the management of TB patients in a private hospital was satisfactory in terms of national guidelines, the high default rate was still a problem. Efforts to decrease the default rate is needed independently or in cooperation with the public sector.