Weight gain in patients with tuberculosis treated under directly observed treatment short-course (DOTS).
SET UP: One Tuberculosis Unit (TU) in Tiruvallur district, Tamil Nadu, India where Tuberculosis (TB) patients treated under Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) programme.


OBJECTIVE
To identify the effects of weight gain among TB patients at the end of treatment on different factors such as socio-economic and demographic characteristics, smoking and drinking habits, treatment under supervision, the type of DOTS centres and problems in taking drugs.


METHODS
TB patients registered between May 1999 and December 2004 formed the study population. Multiple regression method was used for the analysis.


RESULTS
Among 1557 smear-positive TB patients registered under DOTS programme, the changes in weight ranged from a loss of 4 kgs to a gain of 20 kgs at the end of TB treatment; the average change in weight was 3.22 kgs. The gain in weight at the end of treatment was associated with age (<45 years), DOT at government centres, no problems in taking drugs as reported by patients and cure rate.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings showed that there is an association between gain in weight with DOT at government centres and cure of patients.
Vasantha
M
M
Tuberculosis Research Centre, Chennai. icmrtrc@vsnl.com
Gopi
P G
PG
Subramani
R
R
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009313:National Health Programs; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000187:drug effects*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents