TY - JOUR
T1 - Drug-resistant tuberculosis in patients with minimal symptoms
T2 - Favourable outcomes in the absence of treatment
AU - Loveday, M.
AU - Ramjee, A.
AU - Osburn, G.
AU - Master, I.
AU - Kabera, G.
AU - Brust, J. C.M.
AU - Padayatchi, N.
AU - Warren, R.
AU - Theron, G.
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2017 The Union.
PY - 2017/5
Y1 - 2017/5
N2 - SETTING: Referral hospital for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. OBJECTIVE : To review the clinical outcomes of patients (age ≥ 14 years) with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of DR-TB who had minimal symptoms and/or did not have chest radiographic evidence of active disease at referral. These patients were not started on treatment, but were enrolled in an observation programme with follow-up at 2, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS : Of 3345 referred patients diagnosed with DR-TB, 192 (6%) were enrolled in the observation programme. The median duration from initial sputum collection in primary care to examination at our hospital was 92 days (IQR 64-124). After 12 months, 120 (62%) patients were well, 36 (19%) were lost to follow-up, 30 (16%) had deteriorated and were started on second-line anti-tuberculosis treatment and 6 (3%) had died. Bilateral disease (OR 4.25, 95%CI 1.14-15.77, P = 0.030) and previous TB (OR 2.14, 95%CI 1.10-4.19, P = 0.026) were independent predictors of an unfavourable end result in a multivariate model. CONCLUSION: In our high-burden setting, most patients diagnosed with DR-TB who had minimal symptoms at referral remained well without treatment. Longitudinal observation, coupled with symptom checking and chest radiograph, is a viable strategy.
AB - SETTING: Referral hospital for drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) in KwaZulu-Natal Province, South Africa. OBJECTIVE : To review the clinical outcomes of patients (age ≥ 14 years) with a laboratory-confirmed diagnosis of DR-TB who had minimal symptoms and/or did not have chest radiographic evidence of active disease at referral. These patients were not started on treatment, but were enrolled in an observation programme with follow-up at 2, 6 and 12 months. RESULTS : Of 3345 referred patients diagnosed with DR-TB, 192 (6%) were enrolled in the observation programme. The median duration from initial sputum collection in primary care to examination at our hospital was 92 days (IQR 64-124). After 12 months, 120 (62%) patients were well, 36 (19%) were lost to follow-up, 30 (16%) had deteriorated and were started on second-line anti-tuberculosis treatment and 6 (3%) had died. Bilateral disease (OR 4.25, 95%CI 1.14-15.77, P = 0.030) and previous TB (OR 2.14, 95%CI 1.10-4.19, P = 0.026) were independent predictors of an unfavourable end result in a multivariate model. CONCLUSION: In our high-burden setting, most patients diagnosed with DR-TB who had minimal symptoms at referral remained well without treatment. Longitudinal observation, coupled with symptom checking and chest radiograph, is a viable strategy.
KW - Asymptomatic
KW - Human immunodeficiency virus
KW - Management
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U2 - 10.5588/ijtld.16.0779
DO - 10.5588/ijtld.16.0779
M3 - Review article
C2 - 28399971
AN - SCOPUS:85018570989
SN - 1027-3719
VL - 21
SP - 556
EP - 563
JO - International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
JF - International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
IS - 5
ER -