Outcome of first-line tuberculosis treatment in migrants from Vietnam. International Organization for Migration Tuberculosis Working Group.
METHODS
Screening and treatment of tuberculosis in prospective migrants from Vietnam, in the framework of the Orderly Departure Programme.


OBJECTIVE
1) To describe the outcome of first-line tuberculosis treatment, and 2) to investigate the role of prognostic factors on treatment outcome.


METHODS
Cohort of consecutive smear-positive patients identified by screening before departure, and followed up until cure or failure, for a maximum of two years.


RESULTS
Seven hundred and twenty-nine patients were consecutively diagnosed with infectious tuberculosis. Patients received directly observed treatment with rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide for a minimum of 6 months, or until sputum conversion was maintained for 6 consecutive months. The cumulative percentage of cure with first-line treatment was 50.2% (SE = 2%) at 7 months, and 92.8% (SE = 2%) at 24 months. Young patients without cavities achieved the highest percentage of cure. Stratified testing confirmed the negative effect on the chance of cure of age >45 years (P < 0.001), and cavities (P < 0.001), while the effect of previous treatment was not significant (P = 0.105).


CONCLUSIONS
While the overall cure rate was satisfactory, older patients and those with cavities required prolonged treatment and reached a less satisfactory level of cure.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D013997:Time Factors; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D014744:Vietnam / Q000208:ethnology
D000995:Antitubercular Agents