Survival and relapse rate of tuberculosis patients who successfully completed treatment in Vietnam.
METHODS
Reported tuberculosis (TB) cure rates are high in Vietnam with the 8-month short-course chemotherapy regimen. However, long-term treatment outcomes are unknown.


OBJECTIVE
To assess survival and relapse rates among patients successfully treated for new smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB).


METHODS
A cohort of patients treated in 32 randomly selected districts in northern Vietnam were followed up 12-24 months after reported cure or treatment success for survival and bacteriologically confirmed relapse. Measurements included sputum smear examination, culture and interview for recent treatment history.


RESULTS
Of 304 patients included in the study, no information was available for 31 (10%) and 19 (6%) had died. Bacteriology results were available for 244 (80%). The median interval between treatment completion and follow-up was 19 months. Relapse was recorded in 21/244 (8.6%, 95%CI 5.4-13), including 9 (4%) with positive sputum smears, 3 (1%) with negative smears but positive culture and 9 (4%) who had started TB retreatment. Four of 12 culture-positive relapse cases (33%) had multidrug-resistant strains. If the definition of relapse was extended to include death, reportedly due to TB, the relapse proportion was 26/263 (9.9%, 95%CI 6.6-14).


CONCLUSIONS
A substantial proportion of patients (15%) had died or relapsed after being successfully treated for TB in northern Vietnam.
Vree
M
M
KNCV Tuberculosis Foundation, 3501 CC The Hague, The Netherlands. vreem@kncvtbc.nl
Huong
N T
NT
Duong
B D
BD
Sy
D N
DN
Van
L N
LN
Hung
N V
NV
Co
N V
NV
Borgdorff
M W
MW
Cobelens
F G
FG
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000453:epidemiology; D014744:Vietnam / Q000453:epidemiology