title: Improved outcomes for patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
abstract: We conducted a retrospective study of patients with culture-confirmed multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center (South Bronx, NY) to determine what factors affected clinical and microbiological responses and survival. For the 38 patients with MDR-TB, reporting of first-line drug susceptibilities was relatively rapid (median time, 30 days). Thirty-four patients (89%) were infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and initial and overall response rates were 59% and 50%, respectively; the median survival was 315 days; and 50% of these patients died of tuberculosis. Bivariate analysis revealed that the following factors had a positive impact on response and survival: receiving > or = 2 consecutive weeks of appropriate therapy with at least two drugs to which the isolate was susceptible in vitro; starting appropriate therapy within 4 weeks of the diagnosis; and having tuberculosis that was limited to the lungs. Multivariate analysis revealed that the only variable associated with response was receipt of appropriate therapy for > or = 2 consecutive weeks. In contrast to findings in the published literature, our results indicate the outcome of MDR-TB can be improved, particularly for severely immunosuppressed HIV-infected patients. Rapid reporting of susceptibilities and prompt initiation and continuation of appropriate antituberculous therapy improved response and survival.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Bronx-Lebanon Hospital Center, New York 10457, USA.
authors.forename: G S
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Turett
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Telzak
authors.forename: L V
authors.initials: LV
authors.lastname: Torian
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blum
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Alland
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Weisfuse
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Fazal
mesh_terms: D017088:AIDS-Related Opportunistic Infections / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018432:Drug Resistance, Multiple / Q000235:genetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012150:Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents