Outcome of directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) regimen in a rural community of the Nigerian Niger Delta.
BACKGROUND
[corrected] The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the outcome of directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) application in a Nigerian rural community.


METHODS
A retrospective study of all the records of DOTS at the centre from January 2001 to December 2005 was compiled and features such as: age, gender, drugs used, and outcome of treatment (defaulted, cured, died, or developed multidrug resistant-TB) were considered. Also the different personnel and infrastructure at the centre for the programme were also assessed. Results were analysed using Epi Info 6 statistical software, and P values < 0.05 were considered significant.


RESULTS
Two hundred and seventy four (274) cases of pulmonary TB were registered at the centre during the study period, consisting of 100 (36.5%) females and 174 (63.5%) males with a statistically significant gender difference (P<0.001). The age range with the highest number of pulmonary tuberculosis cases was 31-40 years (24.8%; n=68), and the age range with the lowest number was 71 years and above (1.1%; n=3). Treatment outcome showed that 84.7% (n=232) completed treatment with cure; 2.5% (n=7) developed multidrug resistance at completion of treatment; 5.5% (n=15) defaulted; 3.3% (n=9) died in the course of treatment, and treatment in 11 people was still ongoing.


CONCLUSIONS
The outcome of DOTS in the present study was impressive, and the programme should be extended to other rural communities; however, more efforts should be made towards the tracing of defaulters.
Jombo
G T A
GT
Department of Medical Microbiology & Parasitology, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria. jombogodwin@yahoo.com
Peters
E J
EJ
Gyuse
A N
AN
Nwankon
J P
JP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis; D009549:Nigeria; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012424:Rural Population; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D011718:Pyrazinamide; D004977:Ethambutol; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin