title: Correlation between susceptibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis by microtiter plate alamar blue assay and clinical outcomes.
abstract: A rapid, inexpensive, and reliable antimycobacterial susceptibility assay is needed to effectively deal with the increasing prevalence of resistant strains of M. tuberculosis in Thailand. The microtiter plate Alamar blue assay (MABA) appears to be promising but requires additional data regarding correlation with clinical outcome. The correlation between the susceptibility by MABA and clinical outcomes was studied. There were 123 specimens obtained from extra-pulmonary sites of 108 patients at Ramathibodi Hospital in 1999. The authors found that susceptibility of M. tuberculosis isolates by the MABA correlated with the clinical outcome; patients with isolates sensitive to isoniazid, rifampicin, and ethambutol had a better clinical outcome than patients with isolates resistant to at least one of these drugs (p=0.004). Studies to determine this correlation in pulmonary tuberculosis are still needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Somnuek
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sungkanuparph
authors.forename: Roongnapa
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Pracharktam
authors.forename: Ammarin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thakkinstian
authors.forename: Benjamas
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Buabut
authors.forename: Wiphawee
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kiatatchasai
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001681:Biological Assay / Q000379:methods*; D004396:Coloring Agents; D004351:Drug Resistance; D006801:Humans; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D010078:Oxazines; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014966:Xanthenes
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D004396:Coloring Agents; D010078:Oxazines; D014966:Xanthenes; C005843:resazurin