TB treatment outcomes following directly-observed treatment at an urban outpatient specialist TB facility in South Africa.
The treatment of 450 consecutive new patients with pulmonary TB was evaluated to determine outcome following directly-observed treatment. In all, 176 (39.1%) patients were cured, 23 (5.1%) completed treatment, 80 (17.8%) defaulted treatment, 24 (5.3%) died, 54 (12.0%) were lost to follow-up and 93 (20.7%) were transferred out. Increasing age was significant for death. Males were more likely to default and those with negative pretreatment sputum smears and those who were unemployed were more likely to be lost to follow-up. The overall treatment success rate remains low. Our data suggests that greater emphasis is needed to improve TB treatment success.
CAPRISA-Centre for the AIDS Programme of Research in South Africa, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. kharsany@ukzn.ac.za
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Kharsany
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Connolly
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Olowolagba
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Abdool Karim
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Abdool Karim
D000328:Adult; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012307:Risk Factors; D013019:South Africa; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control; D019037:Urban Health Services
D000995:Antitubercular Agents