Work

TB treatment outcomes following directly-observed treatment at an urban outpatient specialist TB facility in South Africa

Year: 2006

Type: article

Abstract: The treatment of 450 consecutive new patients with pulmonary TB was evaluated to determine outcome following directly-observed treatment. In all, 176 (39.1%) patients were cured, 23 (5.1%) completed treatment, 80 (17.8%) defaulted treatment, 24 (5.3%) died, 54 (12.0%) were lost to follow-up and 93 (20.7%) were transferred out. Increasing age was significant for death. Males were more likely to default and those with negative pretreatment sputum smears and those who were unemployed were more likely to be lost to follow-up. The overall treatment success rate remains low. Our data suggests that greater emphasis is needed to improve TB treatment success.

Source: Tropical Doctor

DOI: 10.1258/004947506775598770

Authors: A B M Kharsany, C Connolly, A Olowolagba, S S Abdool Karim, Q Abdool Karim

Institutions: Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, University of KwaZulu-Natal, South African Medical Research Council, eThekwini Municipality, Columbia University

Language: English

Topic: Tuberculosis Research and Epidemiology

Subfield: Infectious Diseases

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: green

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, Fogarty International Center