Survival and health status of DOTS tuberculosis patients in rural Lao PDR.
BACKGROUND
Contact tracing of tuberculosis (TB) patients is rarely performed in low-income countries. Our objective was to assess the outcome of and compliance with directly observed treatment (DOTS) of TB patients over a 3 year period in rural Lao PDR.


METHODS
We performed a retrospective cohort study in which we enrolled TB patients who started DOTS treatment at Attapeu Provincial Hospital. We traced, through hospital records, all patients in their residential village. We conducted a standardized questionnaire with all TB patients and performed physical and anthropometric examinations as well as evaluations of compliance through counting of treatment pills at home and at the health facilities.


RESULTS
Of 172 enrolled TB patients (sex ratio female/male: 0.52, mean age: 46.9 years ± 16.9), 26 (15.1%) died. These had a lower weight at the start (34.6 vs. 40.8 kg, p < 0.001) and were less compliant (91.6% vs. 19.2%, p < 0.001) than survivors. Low compliance was associated with poor accessibility to health care (p = 0.01) and symptomatic improvement (p = 0.02). Survivors had persistently poor health status. They were underweight (54.7%), and still had clinical symptoms (53.5%), including dyspnoea (28.8%) and haemoptysis (9.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
Our study suggests a lower rate of survival than expected from official statistics. Additionally, it showed that follow-up of TB patients is feasible although the patients lived in very remote area of Laos. Follow-up should be strengthened as it can improve patient compliance, and allow contact tracing, detection of new cases and collection of accurate treatment outcome information.
Barennes
Hubert
H
Institut de la Francophonie pour la Médecine Tropicale, Vientiane, Lao PDR. hubert.barennes@auf.org
Keophithoun
Thongdam
T
Nguyen
Tuan H
TH
Strobel
Michel
M
Odermatt
Peter
P
D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007812:Laos / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012424:Rural Population; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality*; D016903:Drug Monitoring
D000995:Antitubercular Agents