title: Tuberculosis treatment default among Brazilian children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the prevalence and time of tuberculosis (TB) treatment default among children and to compare defaulters with those who completed treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study at the Hospital Municipal Jesus, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, among TB patients aged <15 years followed from 1998 to 2002. The group that completed treatment was compared with those that defaulted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The records of 248 patients were studied. The default rate was 24.2% and was more frequent in the first 2 months of treatment (43.3%) and among those aged <1 year (42.4%). The following variables were associated with default: previous default (relative risk [RR] 1.99, 95%CI 1.12-3.54, P = 0.035), father not living with the child (RR 1.85, 95%CI 1.06-3.21, P = 0.030) and father using illicit drugs (RR 2.93, 95%CI 1.44-5.97, P = 0.002).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health professionals responsible for treating children with TB should pay special attention to children aged <1 year, those with a history of previous default, and those whose father is absent or an illicit drug user.
authors.affiliation: Hospital Municipal Jesus, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. verasoll@terra.com.br
authors.forename: V L da Silva
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: A J L A
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: da Cunha
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alves
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015528:HIV Seroprevalence; D006760:Hospitalization; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D018445:Infectious Disease Transmission, Vertical; D008297:Male; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014388:Tuberculosis, Lymph Node / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000635:transmission
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D001500:BCG Vaccine