Lower Treatment Success Rates Research Articles

Systematic TB screening using WHO radiograph categorisation and care outcomes.

BACKGROUND: An appropriate screening approach and quality care are crucial for TB programmes in prisons. This study assessed crude TB prevalence, accuracy of the screening methods and treatment outcomes in a Thai prison.METHOD: This was a retrospective analysis of findings from a mass CXR screening conducted among incarcerated people in July 2017. Digital radiographs were forwarded to a chest physician to read and classify in six categories using WHO categorisation. CXR with significant Categories 3 (no active TB), 4 (not TB), 5 (TB) and 6 (unclassified) abnormalities were eligible for sputum microscopy and Xpert testing. A screening questionnaire locally known as TB-P1 was used for case management. Patients with TB received care in the prison.RESULTS: Of 2,382 prisoners screened, 6.3% had CXR Categories 3-6. Crude prevalence of bacteriologically confirmed TB was 1,133/100,000 (95% CI 748.3-1644.9). The screening´s sensitivity was 96.3% based on CXR Category 5 and 22.2% using TB-P1. Treatment success rates in drug-susceptible and drug-resistant TB patients were respectively 66.7% and 33.3%.CONCLUSION: The WHO radiograph categorisation could be used to screen for TB in the field and may be applied in artificial intelligence for interpreting CXR; screening questionnaires are not effective in prison environments. Nonetheless, low treatment success rates remained a challenge.

A Score to Predict the Risk of Major Adverse Drug Reactions Among Multi-Drug Resistant Tuberculosis Patients in Southern Ethiopia, 2014-2019.

BackgroundAdverse events (AE) contribute to poor drug adherence and withdrawal, which contribute to a low treatment success rate. AE are commonly reported among multi-drug resistance tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients in Ethiopia. However, predictors of AE among MDR-TB patients were limited in Ethiopia. Thus, the current study aimed to develop and validate a score to predict the risks of major AE among MDR-TB patients in Southern Ethiopia.MethodsA retrospective follow-up study design was employed among MDR-TB patients from 2014–2019 in southern Ethiopia at selected hospitals. A least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm was used to select the most potent predictors of the outcome. The adverse event risk score was built based on the multivariable logistic regression analysis. Discriminatory power and calibration were checked to evaluate the performance of the model. Bootstrapping method with 100 repetitions was used for internal model validation.ResultsHistory of baseline khat use, long-term drug regimen use, and having coexisting disorders (co-morbidity) were predictors of AEs. The score has a satisfactory discriminatory power (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.68, 0.82) and a modest calibration (Prob > chi2 = 0.2043). It was found to have the same c-statistics after validation by bootstrapping method of 100 repetitions with replacement.ConclusionA history of baseline khat use, co-morbidity, and long-term drug regimen use are helpful to predict individual risk of major adverse events in MDR-TB patients with a satisfactory degree of accuracy (AUC = 0.77).

Delamanid or pretomanid? A Solomonic judgement!

Given the low treatment success rates of drug-resistant tuberculosis (TB), novel TB drugs are urgently needed. The landscape of TB treatment has changed considerably over the last decade with the approval of three new compounds: bedaquiline, delamanid and pretomanid. Of these, delamanid and pretomanid belong to the same class of drugs, the nitroimidazoles. In order to close the knowledge gap on how delamanid and pretomanid compare with each other, we summarize the main findings from preclinical research on these two compounds. We discuss the compound identification, mechanism of action, drug resistance, in vitro activity, in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles, and preclinical in vivo activity and efficacy. Although delamanid and pretomanid share many similarities, several differences could be identified. One finding of particular interest is that certain Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates have been described that are resistant to either delamanid or pretomanid, but with preserved susceptibility to the other compound. This might imply that delamanid and pretomanid could replace one another in certain regimens. Regarding bactericidal activity, based on in vitro and preclinical in vivo activity, delamanid has lower MICs and higher mycobacterial load reductions at lower drug concentrations and doses compared with pretomanid. However, when comparing in vivo preclinical bactericidal activity at dose levels equivalent to currently approved clinical doses based on drug exposure, this difference in activity between the two compounds fades. However, it is important to interpret these comparative results with caution knowing the variability inherent in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models.

The Art of War: Ferroptosis and Pancreatic Cancer.

Pancreatic cancer is a devastating gastrointestinal cancer, characterized by late diagnosis, low treatment success rate, and poor survival prognosis. The most common pathological type of pancreatic cancer is pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), which is mainly driven by the K-Ras oncogene. Ferroptosis was originally described as Ras-dependent cell death, but is now defined as lipid peroxidation-mediated regulated necrosis, accompanied by excessive activation of the autophagy degradation pathway and limited membrane repair capacity. The impaired ferroptotic pathway is involved in many types of cancer, including PDAC. On the one hand, the chronic inflammation caused by ferroptotic damage contributes to the formation of K-Ras-driven PDAC. On the other hand, drug-induced ferroptosis is an emerging strategy to suppress tumor growth in established PDAC. In this mini-review, we outline the core process of ferroptosis, discuss the regulatory mechanism of ferroptosis in PDAC, and highlight some of the challenges of targeting ferroptosis in PDAC therapy.

Determinant factors for loss to follow-up in drug-resistant tuberculosis patients: the importance of psycho-social and economic aspects

BackgroundDrug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) is the barrier for global TB elimination efforts with a lower treatment success rate. Loss to follow-up (LTFU) in DR-TB is a serious problem, causes mortality and morbidity for patients, and leads to wide spreading of DR-TB to their family and the wider community, as well as wasting health resources. Prevention and management of LTFU is crucial to reduce mortality, prevent further spread of DR-TB, and inhibit the development and transmission of more extensively drug-resistant strains of bacteria. A study about the factors associated with loss to follow-up is needed to develop appropriate strategies to prevent DR-TB patients become loss to follow-up. This study was conducted to identify the factors correlated with loss to follow-up in DR-TB patients, using questionnaires from the point of view of patients.MethodsAn observational study with a cross-sectional design was conducted. Study subjects were all DR-TB patients who have declared as treatment success and loss to follow-up from DR-TB treatment. A structured questionnaire was used to collect information by interviewing the subjects as respondents. Obtained data were analyzed potential factors correlated with loss to follow-up in DR-TB patients.ResultsA total of 280 subjects were included in this study. Sex, working status, income, and body mass index showed a significant difference between treatment success and loss to follow-up DR-TB patients with p-value of 0.013, 0.010, 0.007, and 0.006, respectively. In regression analysis, factors correlated with increased LTFU were negative attitude towards treatment (OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.1–1.3), limitation of social support (OR = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0–1.2), dissatisfaction with health service (OR = 2.1; 95% CI = 1.5–3.0)), and limitation of economic status (OR = 1.1; 95% CI = 1.0–1.2)).ConclusionsMale patients, jobless, non-regular employee, lower income, and underweight BMI were found in higher proportion in LTFU patients. Negative attitude towards treatment, limitation of social support, dissatisfaction with health service, and limitation of economic status are factors correlated with increased LTFU in DR-TB patients. Non-compliance to treatment is complex, we suggest that the involvement and support from the combination of health ministry, labor and employment ministry, and social ministry may help to resolve the complex problems of LTFU in DR-TB patients.

A.5 Identification of predictors of response to Erenumab in episodic and chronic migraine in a cohort of patients: a preliminary analysis

Background: Erenumab is an antibody anti-calcitonin gene related peptide (CGRP) receptor approved for the treatment of episodic (EM) and chronic migraine (CM). In this study, we aimed to identify the predictors of response to the treatment. Methods: This is an ongoing retrospective cohort study of 120 patients (49 with cervicalgia) with EM or CM treated with Erenumab. The first endpoint was to identify the success rate of this treatment (at least 50% reduction in monthly migraine days during the third month of the treatment). The second endpoint was to identify the predictors of response to Erenumab treatment. Results: Seventy one percent of patients achieved a favorable response (P-value<0.001) to Erenumab. Patients with cervicalgia showed a lower treatment success rate (21.1% with vs 40.8% without cervicalgia) while patients without cervicalgia showed a higher treatment success rate (78. 9% without vs 59.2% with cervicalgia) with a P-value of 0.025 and an odd ratio of 0.388 (95% CI 0.174-0.869, P-value=0.021). A similar trend was observed in patients with occipital neuralgia and obesity (P-value<0.08). Conclusions: The preliminary analysis of this study demonstrates that cervicalgia (and to a lesser extend occipital neuralgia and obesity) is a negative predictor of response to Erenumab in patients with migraine.

Efficacy, Toxicity, and Pharmacokinetics of Intra-Arterial Chemotherapy Versus Intravenous Chemotherapy for Retinoblastoma in Animal Models and Patients.

PurposeThrough controlled comparative rabbit experiments and parallel patient studies, our purpose was to understand mechanisms underlying differences in efficacy and toxicity between intra-arterial chemotherapy (IAC) and intravenous chemotherapy (IVC).MethodsIn rabbits, ocular tissue drug levels were measured following IAC and IVC. Retinal toxicity was assessed using electroretinography, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography. Efficacy to eradicate retinoblastoma orthotopic xenografts was compared. In IAC and IVC patients, we measured blood carboplatin pharmacokinetics and compared efficacy and toxicity.ResultsIn rabbits receiving IAC, maximum carboplatin levels were 134 times greater in retina (P = 0.01) and 411 times greater in vitreous (P < 0.001), and total carboplatin (area under the curve) was 123 times greater in retina (P = 0.005) and 131 times greater in vitreous (P = 0.02) compared with IVC. Melphalan levels were 12 times greater (P = 0.003) in retina and 26 times greater in vitreous (P < 0.001) for IAC. Blood levels were not different. IAC melphalan (but not IV melphalan or IV carboplatin, etoposide, and vincristine) caused widespread apoptosis in retinoblastoma xenografts but no functional retinal toxicity or cytopenias. In patients, blood levels following IVC were greater (P < 0.001) but, when adjusted for treatment dose, were not statistically different. Per treatment cycle in patients, IVC caused higher rates of anemia (0.32 ± 0.29 vs. 0.01 ± 0.04; P = 0.0086), thrombocytopenia (0.5 ± 0.42 vs. 0.0 ± 0.0; P = 0.0042), and neutropenia (0.58 ± 0.3 vs. 0.31 ± 0.25; P = 0.032) but lower treatment success rates (P = 0.0017).ConclusionsThe greater efficacy and lower systemic toxicity with IAC appear to be attributable to the greater ocular-to-systemic drug concentration ratio compared with IVC.Translational RelevanceProvides an overarching hypothesis for a mechanism of efficacy/toxicity to guide future drug development.

Altered Expression of miR-575 in Glioma is Related to Tumor Cell Proliferation, Migration, and Invasion.

Glioma is a kind of brain tumor with low overall survival and treatment success rates in the advanced stage. Evidence has shown microRNA-575 (miR-575) plays an important role in the generation and development of various cancers. This study aimed to explore the function of miR-575 in the prognosis and cell biological behavior of glioma. qRT-PCR was used to evaluate the expression of miR-575 in glioma tissues and cells, Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox regression analysis were used to evaluate the prognostic value. The proliferation ability of glioma cells was determined by MTT assay; the invasion and migration abilities were determined by transwell assays. Compared with normal brain tissues, the expression of miR-575 in glioma tissue cells was significantly up-regulated (P < 0.001). The survival rate of patients in the miR-575 high expression group was significantly lower than that in the low expression group (P = 0.020). In addition, the overexpression of miR-575 promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of glioma cells. The results of this study suggested that miR-575 may be a new biomarker for the prognosis of glioma.

Multidisciplinary management of difficult-to-treat drug resistant tuberculosis: a review of cases presented to the national consilium in Uganda

BackgroundPatients with drug resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) with comorbidities and drug toxicities are difficult to treat. Guidelines recommend such patients to be managed in consultation with a multidisciplinary team of experts (the “TB consilium”) to optimise treatment regimens. We describe characteristics and treatment outcomes of DR-TB cases presented to the national DR-TB consilium in Uganda between 2013 and 2019.MethodsWe performed a secondary analysis of data from a nation-wide retrospective cohort of DR-TB patients with poor prognostic indicators in Uganda. Patients had a treatment outcome documented between 2013 and 2019. Characteristics and treatment outcomes were compared between cases reviewed by the consilium with those that were not reviewed.ResultsOf 1,122 DR-TB cases, 189 (16.8%) cases from 16 treatment sites were reviewed by the consilium, of whom 86 (45.5%) were reviewed more than once. The most frequent inquiries (N = 308) from DR-TB treatment sites were construction of a treatment regimen (38.6%) and management of side effects (24.0%) while the most frequent consilium recommendations (N = 408) were a DR-TB regimen (21.7%) and “observation while on current regimen” (16.6%). Among the cases reviewed, 152 (80.4%) were from facilities other than the national referral hospital, 113 (61.1%) were aged ≥ 35 years, 72 (40.9%) were unemployed, and 26 (31.0%) had defaulted antiretroviral therapy. Additionally, 141 (90.4%) had hepatic injury, 55 (91.7%) had bilateral hearing loss, 20 (4.8%) had psychiatric symptoms and 14 (17.7%) had abnormal baseline systolic blood pressure. Resistance to second-line drugs (SLDs) was observed among 9 (4.8%) cases while 13 (6.9%) cases had previous exposure to SLDs. Bedaquiline (13.2%, n = 25), clofazimine (28.6%, n = 54), high-dose isoniazid (22.8%, n = 43) and linezolid (6.7%, n = 13) were more frequently prescribed among cases reviewed by the consilium than those not reviewed. Treatment success was observed among 126 (66.7%) cases reviewed.ConclusionCases reviewed by the consilium had several comorbidities, drug toxicities and a low treatment success rate. Consilia are important “gatekeepers” for new and repurposed drugs. There is need to build capacity of lower health facilities to construct DR-TB regimens and manage adverse effects.

Intention-to-treat analysis may be more conservative than per protocol analysis in antibiotic non-inferiority trials: a systematic review

BackgroundIn non-inferiority trials, there is a concern that intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis, by including participants who did not receive the planned interventions, may bias towards making the treatment and control arms look similar and lead to mistaken claims of non-inferiority. In contrast, per protocol (PP) analysis is viewed as less likely to make this mistake and therefore preferable in non-inferiority trials. In a systematic review of antibiotic non-inferiority trials, we compared ITT and PP analyses to determine which analysis was more conservative.MethodsIn a secondary analysis of a systematic review, we included non-inferiority trials that compared different antibiotic regimens, used absolute risk reduction (ARR) as the main outcome and reported both ITT and PP analyses. All estimates and confidence intervals (CIs) were oriented so that a negative ARR favored the control arm, and a positive ARR favored the treatment arm. We compared ITT to PP analyses results. The more conservative analysis between ITT and PP analyses was defined as the one having a more negative lower CI limit.ResultsThe analysis included 164 comparisons from 154 studies. In terms of the ARR, ITT analysis yielded the more conservative point estimate and lower CI limit in 83 (50.6%) and 92 (56.1%) comparisons respectively. The lower CI limits in ITT analysis favored the control arm more than in PP analysis (median of − 7.5% vs. -6.9%, p = 0.0402). CIs were slightly wider in ITT analyses than in PP analyses (median of 13.3% vs. 12.4%, p < 0.0001). The median success rate was 89% (interquartile range IQR 82 to 93%) in the PP population and 44% (IQR 23 to 60%) in the patients who were included in the ITT population but excluded from the PP population (p < 0.0001).ConclusionsContrary to common belief, ITT analysis was more conservative than PP analysis in the majority of antibiotic non-inferiority trials. The lower treatment success rate in the ITT analysis led to a larger variance and wider CI, resulting in a more conservative lower CI limit. ITT analysis should be mandatory and considered as either the primary or co-primary analysis for non-inferiority trials.Trial registrationPROSPERO registration number CRD42020165040.

Treatment success for patients with tuberculosis receiving care in areas severely affected by Hurricane Matthew - Haiti, 2016.

On October 4, 2016, Hurricane Matthew struck southwest Haiti as a category 4 storm. The goal of this study was to evaluate the impact of the hurricane on tuberculosis (TB) services and patient outcomes in the three severely affected departments-Sud, Grand'Anse, and Nippes-of southwest Haiti. We developed a standard questionnaire to assess a convenience sample of health facilities in the affected areas, a patient tracking form, and a line list for tracking all patients with drug-susceptible TB registered in care six months before the hurricane. We analyzed data from the national TB electronic surveillance system to determine outcomes for all patients receiving anti-TB treatment in the affected areas. We used logistic regression analysis to determine factors associated with treatment success. Of the 66 health facilities in the three affected departments, we assessed 31, accounting for 536 (45.7%) of 1,174 TB patients registered in care when Hurricane Matthew made landfall in Haiti. Three (9.7%) health facilities sustained moderate to severe damage, whereas 18 (58.1%) were closed for <1 week, and five (16.1%) for ≥1 week. Four weeks after the hurricane, 398 (73.1%) of the 536 patients in the assessed facilities were located. Treatment success in the affected departments one year after the hurricane was 81.4%. Receiving care outside the municipality of residence (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 0.46, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.27-0.80) and HIV positivity (aOR: 0.31, 95% CI: 0.19-0.51) or unknown HIV status (aOR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.33-0.74) were associated with significantly lower rates of treatment success. Despite major challenges, a high percentage of patients receiving anti-TB treatment before the hurricane were located and successfully treated in southwest Haiti. The lessons learned and results presented here may help inform policies and guidelines in similar settings for effective TB control after a natural disaster.

HIV infection modifies the relationship between distance to a health facility and treatment success rate for tuberculosis in rural eastern Uganda

RationaleDistance from residence to a health facility especially in rural areas presents a physical barrier and may influence tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes. ObjectivesWe examined the association between distance from residence to a health facility and TB treatment outcomes namely treatment success rate (TSR) and mortality, and whether HIV influences this relationship among people with TB in Kumi district in rural eastern Uganda. MethodsIn this cross-sectional design, we abstracted data from TB unit registers across four large health facilities. Travel of ≥5 km to a health facility was considered a long distance. The primary outcome was TSR and the secondary was mortality. We performed a generalized linear model with Poisson distribution with a log-link and robust standard errors to determine the association between distance and the study outcomes adjusting for potential confounders. We report the adjusted risk ratio (aRR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Measurement and resultsOf 611 participants studied, 484 (79.2%) were successfully treated, 18 (2.9%) died, and 359 (58.7%) travelled a long distance to access TB treatment. Long-distance was significantly associated with lower TSR (aRR, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89–0.96). Further analysis showed that longer distance was associated with lower TSR among HIV positive persons with TB (aRR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72–0.96), but not among HIV negative persons with TB (aRR, 0.94; 95% CI, 0.85–1.03). Although it was not significant, longer distance showed a tendency towards worse mortality among HIV positive people with TB (aRR, 2.78; 95% CI, 0.80–9.66), but not among HIV negative people with HIV (aRR, 0.21; 0.03–1.74). ConclusionsA majority of people with TB travel long distances to access treatment. Long distances are associated with lower TSR and higher mortality and affect people with TB who are HIV positive but not HIV negative. Interventions should focus on improving access to treatment for people with TB who travel long distances.

Immunomodulatory Agents Combat Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis by Improving Antimicrobial Immunity.

BackgroundMultidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis has low treatment success rates, and new treatment strategies are needed. We explored whether treatment with active vitamin D3 (vitD) and phenylbutyrate (PBA) could improve conventional chemotherapy by enhancing immune-mediated eradication of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.MethodsA clinically relevant model was used consisting of human macrophages infected with M. tuberculosis isolates (n = 15) with different antibiotic resistance profiles. The antimicrobial effect of vitD+PBA, was tested together with rifampicin or isoniazid. Methods included colony-forming units (intracellular bacterial growth), messenger RNA expression analyses (LL-37, β-defensin, nitric oxide synthase, and dual oxidase 2), RNA interference (LL-37-silencing in primary macrophages), and Western blot analysis and confocal microscopy (LL-37 and LC3 protein expression).ResultsVitD+PBA inhibited growth of clinical MDR tuberculosis strains in human macrophages and strengthened intracellular growth inhibition of rifampicin and isoniazid via induction of the antimicrobial peptide LL-37 and LC3-dependent autophagy. Gene silencing of LL-37 expression enhanced MDR tuberculosis growth in vitD+PBA–treated macrophages. The combination of vitD+PBA and isoniazid were as effective in reducing intracellular MDR tuberculosis growth as a >125-fold higher dose of isoniazid alone, suggesting potent additive effects of vitD+PBA with isoniazid.ConclusionsImmunomodulatory agents that trigger multiple immune pathways can strengthen standard MDR tuberculosis treatment and contribute to next-generation individualized treatment options for patients with difficult-to-treat pulmonary tuberculosis.

Portal Vein Complications After Adult Living Donor Liver Transplantation: Time of Onset and Deformity Patterns Affect Long-Term Outcomes.

Portal vein complications (PVCs) after adult living donor liver transplantation (LDLT) are potentially lethal. We categorized PVCs by the time of onset (early versus late, <1month versus ≥1month, respectively) and deformity patterns (portal vein stenosis [PVS], portal vein thrombosis [PVT], and portal vein occlusion [PVO]) to establish optimal treatment strategies. Overall, 35/322 (10.9%) recipients developed PVCs between 2000 and 2019. Pretransplant PVT (odds ratio [OR], 15.20; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.70-62.40; P<0.001) was the only independent risk factor for PVS. In contrast, male sex (OR, 5.57; 95% CI, 1.71-18.20; P=0.004), pretransplant PVT (OR, 4.79; 95% CI, 1.64-14.00; P=0.004), and splenectomy (OR, 3.24; 95% CI, 1.23-8.57; P=0.018) were independent risk factors for PVT. PVS was successfully treated with interventional radiology regardless of its time of onset. On the other hand, late PVT and PVO had significantly lower treatment success rates (2/15, 13%) compared with those that occurred in the early period (10/11, 91%) despite aggressive intervention (P<0.001). Deformity patterns had a significant impact on the 5-year cumulative incidence of graft loss as a result of PVC (PVO+Yerdel grades 2-4 PVT group [n=16], 41% versus PVS+Yerdel grade 1 PVT group [n=19], 0%; P=0.02). In conclusion, late grades 2 to 4 PVT and PVO are refractory to treatment and associated with poor prognoses, whereas PVS has a good prognosis regardless of time of onset. A tailored approach according to the time of onset and deformity patterns of PVC is essential.

Community-Based Active Case Finding to Increase Tuberculosis Case Detection and Treatment Success Rate in High Tuberculosis Burden Areas of Arsi Zone, Oromia

<i>Background</i>: More than 9 million new cases of tuberculosis (TB) occur per year and about two million people die of TB. The probable cause of death is delay in diagnosis, low case detection rate and treatment success rate. Due to the low potential of tuberculosis (TB) microscopic examination and the need to increase rate of new TB case identification is also increased. <i>Objective</i>: To determine magnitude of active tuberculosis cases, evaluate the performance of LED-FM and X-pert MTB/RIF assay and characterize treatment outcome <i>Methods</i>: The door-to-door survey for TB in high TB burden areas of Arsi zone was performed. The participants were screened based on typical TB symptoms. The sputum samples were collected and transported to the laboratories. Culture, LED-FM and X-pert MTB/RIF assay were performed to confirm tuberculosis infection. Result was communicated through cell phone or short message system (SMS) for issuing of positive results. The health extension worker would contact diagnosed patients referred to their local health center for care. Finally, the performance of diagnostic tests, case detection rate and treatment success were determined. <i>Result</i>: In this study 344 pulmonary TB suspected study participants were involved from the three study sites. Based on the LED microscope results the general prevalence of pulmonary TB among the current study participants was 2.3%. On the other hand Gene X-pert MTB/RIF assay could show that 9 (2.6%) of the study participants became positive for pulmonary TB cases. There was 1 (0.3%) discordant result between the two assay methods. LED microscope missed one TB suspected case which was detected by Gen X-pert MTB/RIF assay and then confirmed by LJ culture media and become positive for pulmonary TB. Hence, the overall prevalence of pulmonary TB in our current study became 2.6% with 95% CI (1.2-4.5) using LJ culture media as tiebreaker. Of 344 study participants in this study, 9 (2.6%) were positive for pulmonary TB and given first line anti-TB drugs. Of the nine pulmonary TB test positive study participants who had prescribed with first line anti-TB drugs in which 2 (22.2%) were known to be cured as well as 7 (77.8%) had completed the treatment regimen prescribed for them.

Treatment outcomes among multidrug-resistant TB patients in Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan: a retrospective record review.

This study aims to evaluate the treatment outcomes and factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes among multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB) patients. This was a retrospective observational study conducted at the Bahawal Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur, Pakistan. The sociodemographic, clinical and treatment-related data of MDR-TB patients registered at the study site between June 2014 and December 2016 were retrospectively collected. Patients' treatment outcomes were categorized on the basis of WHO-recommended criteria. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to find the independent factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes. Out of 179 MDR-TB patients, 106 (59.2%) completed their treatment successfully. The remaining 73 patients (40.8%) had unsuccessful treatment outcomes, among whom 45 (25.1%) died, while 18 (10.1%) were lost to follow-up. Factors associated with unsuccessful treatment outcomes included age ≥40 y (AOR 4.310; p=0.006), unsuccessful interim treatment outcomes (AOR 5.810; p=0.032), occurrence of adverse events (AOR 0.290; p=0.029) and ofloxacin resistance (AOR 2.952; p=0.042). The treatment success rate among the selected cohort of MDR-TB patients was less than the target of ≥75% set by the WHO in the End TB Strategy. The lower treatment success rate at the study site requires urgent attention from clinicians and program managers.

Tuberculosis among economic migrants: a cross-sectional study of the risk of poor treatment outcomes and impact of a treatment adherence intervention among temporary residents in an urban district in Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam

BackgroundTuberculosis (TB) remains a major cause of avoidable deaths. Economic migrants represent a vulnerable population due to their exposure to medical and social risk factors. These factors expose them to higher risks for TB incidence and poor treatment outcomes.MethodsThis cross-sectional study evaluated WHO-defined TB treatment outcomes among economic migrants in an urban district of Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. We measured the association of a patient’s government-defined residency status with treatment success and loss to follow-up categories at baseline and performed a comparative interrupted time series (ITS) analysis to assess the impact of community-based adherence support on treatment outcomes. Key measures of interest of the ITS were the differences in step change (β6) and post-intervention trend (β7).ResultsShort-term, inter-province migrants experienced lower treatment success (aRR = 0.95 [95% CI: 0.92–0.99], p = 0.010) and higher loss to follow-up (aOR = 1.98 [95% CI: 1.44–2.72], p < 0.001) than permanent residents. Intra-province migrants were similarly more likely to be lost to follow-up (aOR = 1.86 [95% CI: 1.03–3.36], p = 0.041). There was evidence that patients > 55 years of age (aRR = 0.93 [95% CI: 0.89–0.96], p < 0.001), relapse patients (aRR = 0.89 [95% CI: 0.84–0.94], p < 0.001), and retreatment patients (aRR = 0.62 [95% CI: 0.52–0.75], p < 0.001) had lower treatment success rates. TB/HIV co-infection was also associated with lower treatment success (aRR = 0.77 [95% CI: 0.73–0.82], p < 0.001) and higher loss to follow-up (aOR = 2.18 [95% CI: 1.55–3.06], p < 0.001). The provision of treatment adherence support increased treatment success (IRR(β6) = 1.07 [95% CI: 1.00, 1.15], p = 0.041) and reduced loss to follow-up (IRR(β6) = 0.17 [95% CI: 0.04, 0.69], p = 0.013) in the intervention districts. Loss to follow-up continued to decline throughout the post-implementation period (IRR(β7) = 0.90 [95% CI: 0.83, 0.98], p = 0.019).ConclusionsEconomic migrants, particularly those crossing provincial borders, have higher risk of poor treatment outcomes and should be prioritized for tailored adherence support. In light of accelerating urbanization in many regions of Asia, implementation trials are needed to inform evidence-based design of strategies for this vulnerable population.

Performance of revised national tuberculosis control program in Bihar: A situational analysis.

Background:Monitoring of a program is a continuous assessment of certain key indicators of it through periodic reports. The efficiency of a health program is assessed by comparing its achievements with the expectations.Methods:The study was conducted based on the annual TB report of India for the year 2018 in order to monitor (Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program) RNTCP performance in the Bihar State and its various districts.Results:Case notification rate of various districts Bihar was far below the national average of 138 per lakh. Considering treatment initiation, the performance of various districts of Bihar were less than national figures (79.0%). In newly diagnosed TB cases, the treatment success rate of Bihar was 73%. This performance was more compared to Uttar Pradesh (66.0%) but less compared to Jharkhand (92.0%), West Bengal (88.0%), and national data (79.5%). Considering human resources, the total human resources in the states of Bihar (61.9%) and Jharkhand (58.3%) were similar. However, in Bihar, there was a vast shortage of ground-level staff [i.e. (senior treatment supervisor) STS, (senior TB lab supervisor) STLS, (public-private mix) PPM Co-ordinator, and (TB health visitor) TBHV)].Conclusion:It was found that Bihar was one of the less performing states in RNTCP with a vast shortage of ground-level staff and low overall treatment success rate compared to its neighboring states. Stringent monitoring and evaluation in every step of the program implementation should be done in order to improve RNTCP performance in Bihar.

Factors predictive of the success of tuberculosis treatment: A systematic review with meta-analysis.

ObjectiveTo produce pooled estimates of the global results of tuberculosis (TB) treatment and analyze the predictive factors of successful TB treatment.MethodsStudies published between 2014 and 2019 that reported the results of the treatment of pulmonary TB and the factors that influenced these results. The quality of the studies was evaluated according to the Newcastle-Ottawa quality assessment scale. A random effects model was used to calculate the pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI). This review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) in February 2019 under number CRD42019121512.ResultsA total of 151 studies met the criteria for inclusion in this review. The success rate for the treatment of drug-sensitive TB in adults was 80.1% (95% CI: 78.4–81.7). America had the lowest treatment success rate, 75.9% (95% CI: 73.8–77.9), and Oceania had the highest, 83.9% (95% CI: 75.2–91.0). In children, the success rate was 84.8% (95% CI: 77.7–90.7); in patients coinfected with HIV, it was 71.0% (95% CI: 63.7–77.8), in patients with multidrug-resistant TB, it was 58.4% (95% CI: 51.4–64.6), in patients with and extensively drug-resistant TB it was 27.1% (12.7–44.5). Patients with negative sputum smears two months after treatment were almost three times more likely to be successfully treated (OR 2.7; 1.5–4.8), whereas patients younger than 65 years (OR 2.0; 1.7–2.4), nondrinkers (OR 2.0; 1.6–2.4) and HIV-negative patients (OR 1.9; 1.6–2.5 3) were two times more likely to be successfully treated.ConclusionThe success of TB treatment at the global level was good, but was still below the defined threshold of 85%. Factors such as age, sex, alcohol consumption, smoking, lack of sputum conversion at two months of treatment and HIV affected the success of TB treatment.

Trend and determinants of tuberculosis treatment outcome in a tertiary hospital in Southeast Nigeria

IntroductionNigeria ranked 7th among the high TB burden nations globally and second most endemic in Africa. There are several highly effective interventions available for tuberculosis control. Operational challenges have been reported to interfere with the success of these interventions. This review was conducted to ascertain the treatment outcome using the Directly Observed Short Course Strategy implemented in the hospital. MethodsA retrospective review of the Tuberculosis treatment was conducted in former Ebonyi State Teaching Hospital and Federal Teaching Hospital from 2008 to 2014 as part of the departmental critique of patients’ clinical care and tuberculosis control activities. Using the facility’s TB treatment register, information on the patient’s demography, clinical characteristics and treatment outcome was extracted. The data were analyzed using Epi Info version 7.2. Frequencies and proportions were calculated. ResultsA total of 1070 cases were reviewed with majority 491 (45.9%) belonging to 25–44 years age group. There were 585 (54.7%) males and 68 (11.6%) paediatrics. Pulmonary tuberculosis (667, 62.3%) was the most common presentation. Among those that did sputum smear AFB, 53.2% were smear negative. In all, 91.2% of the cases were treatment naïve, 59.1% were HIV negative at beginning of their treatment while 8% had unknown HIV status. Of the treatment outcome, 40.5% were classified as treatment completed, 16.0% cured, 17.4% of the cases defaulted while 14.1% of the cases died on treatment. These patients were often referred from primary and secondary level hospitals. ConclusionsThe cure rate was very poor and treatment default rate high. The high default rate could be due to the referral nature of the hospital. The treatment success rate of 56.5% is still far below the national target of 85% treatment success rate for effective tuberculosis control. An operational research is recommended to elicit the root causes of low treatment success rate and high patient default rate.