Treatment outcome of neuro tuberculosis patients put on DOTS--an observation study from the field.
BACKGROUND
Effectiveness of intermittent Short Course Chemotherapy for Neuro Tuberculosis has not been well studied. There are only few reported studies on this issue in the world literature under filed conditions. Neurologists all over India are reluctant to accept Directly Observed Treatment Short course for neuro tuberculosis since its introduction in India.


OBJECTIVE
Assessing effectiveness of Revised National TB Control Programme (RNTCP-DOTS) regimens among neuro tuberculosis patients registered under the programme.


METHODS
All the neuro tuberculosis patients referred to RNTCP for treatment were included in the study. Study population included only those patients diagnosed at higher centre and referred to RNTCP during the period Jan - Dec 2002, Alappuzha District. Diagnostic Algorithm as per RNTCP guidelines was strictly followed and treatment outcome and follow-up status were taken from tuberculosis register. No pediatric age group was included in the study.


RESULTS
A total of 32 cases registered for DOTS regimen were included in the study, of whom 29 completed the treatment and all were asymptomatic at the end of treatment (85%). All patients received treatment as DOTS, but only 70% received actual DOTS. All patients were given nine months intermittent regimen as per RNTCP guidelines. Five patients died during the treatment (14%). This result shows that DOTS under field programme conditions are efficient in curing Neuro Tuberculosis.


CONCLUSIONS
Good result was obtained with intermittent short course chemotherapy under programme conditions in neurotuberculosis.
Venugopal
K
K
Health Services, Government of Kerala. dtovenu@yahoo.com
Sreelatha
P R
PR
Philip
Sairu
S
Kumar
Vijay
V
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003140:Communicable Disease Control / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D020306:Tuberculosis, Central Nervous System / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D055815:Young Adult
D000995:Antitubercular Agents