title: Tuberculosis treatment outcome monitoring: Blackburn 1988-2000.
abstract: METHODS
  All cases of tuberculosis in a high prevalence district (population 269,000) of England.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyse the tuberculosis programme outcome for confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis, and all other categories of cases for 1988-2000 inclusive.
  
  
  METHODS
  The outcome of all cases treated during the period 1988-2000 inclusive was assessed by agreed European outcome criteria, retrospectively for 1988-1998 and prospectively for 1999-2000.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 729 tuberculosis cases were notified, with 209 definite (culture-positive) pulmonary cases. Of the 205 definite pulmonary cases treated in life, 182 received self-administered treatment (SAT) and 23 directly observed treatment (DOT), with an 88% cure/completion rate and a 12% death rate. The relapse rate for SAT was 1/182 (0.5%) and 1/23 for DOT (4.3%). The cure/completion rate for all patients together was 94.3%, with a relapse rate of 0.8%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In this resource-rich setting, treatment largely by SAT, but carefully monitored, gives a very high cure/completion rate. Universal rather than selective DOT would make little additional impact on patient outcome. These outcomes are not likely to be reproducible, however, with SAT in a resource-poor setting.
authors.affiliation: Chest Clinic, Blackburn Royal Infirmary, Lancs, UK.
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Ormerod
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Horsfield
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012646:Self Administration; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents