DOTS in drug addicts with TB : Delhi experience.
BACKGROUND
Drug abuse is on the rise. Drug addiction lowers the general immunity of the body. Tuberculosis is known to be one of the major infectious diseases with a high incidence among drug addicts. Treatment of drug addicts suffering from tuberculosis is a challenge to the treating physician.


METHODS
An interventional prospective study which involved free de-addiction drugs and motivation along with free anti tubercular drugs under Revised National Tuberculosis Programme was undertaken among drug addicts. Sixty drug addicts suffering from tuberculosis, registered under RNTCP in SPM marg TB Clinic (Pili Kothi) between 2002-2007 and treated under DOTS along with de-addiction treatment by an NGO (Sharan) formed the study sample.


OBJECTIVE
Objectives of the study were: a) To study the profile of drug addicts with tuberculosis, b) To assess the success results of DOTS in drug addicts with tuberculosis (along with de-addiction treatment).


RESULTS
Extensive counselling for de-addiction and motivation of the study patients along with nutritional food supplements improved the compliance and adherence to treatment with equal success rates as in non-addict tuberculosis patients. The overall success rate in drug addicts was 83.3%. The default rate of 3.3% and failure rate of just 1.7% among study group were also within the permissible range of RNTCP (< 4%).


CONCLUSIONS
DOTS along with supplementary intervention was observed to be quite effective in drug addicts with TB.
Dhingra
V K
VK
New Delhi TB Centre, New Delhi.
Lall
Dori
D
Aggarwal
Nishi
N
Vashist
R P
RP
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D055030:Drug Users; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D009292:Narcotic Antagonists; D002047:Buprenorphine