title: Two-year follow-up of directly-observed intermittent regimens for smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis in China.
abstract: METHODS
  The tuberculosis component of the Infectious and Endemic Disease Control Project in the People's Republic of China is the largest single tuberculosis control project in the world using directly-observed therapy and standardized intermittent regimens.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the two-year relapse and mortality rates following completion of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A prospective cohort study of 649 cases cured in this project. The 306 new and 343 retreatment cases were treated under field conditions with 2H3R3Z3S3/4H3R3 and 2H3R3Z3E3S3/6H3R3E3, respectively. Following treatment completion, two sputum samples were collected every six months for two years and examined for acid-fast bacilli. Causes of death were identified.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The two-year relapse rates for new and retreatment cases were 3.3% and 5.6%, respectively. Retreatment cases with delayed sputum conversion had a greater risk for subsequent relapse. The two-year mortality rate for new and retreatment cases was 3.3% and 8.5%, respectively. The higher mortality rate in retreatment cases was not attributable to relapse of disease, but rather to non-infectious sequelae of tuberculosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of directly-observed intermittent regimens is effective in permanently removing infectious tuberculosis cases from the community.
authors.affiliation: The Anti-Tuberculosis Institute of Hebei Province, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: L Y
authors.initials: LY
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: J Q
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Chin
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002423:Cause of Death; D002681:China; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012008:Recurrence; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology; D016019:Survival Analysis; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality / Q000517:prevention & control
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents