title: Changes in body weight and tuberculosis treatment outcome in Viet Nam.
abstract: METHODS
  National Tuberculosis Programme, Viet Nam, 2008.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the relationship between changes in body weight and tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  All treatment cards of patients from a sample of 30 randomly selected treatment units in the country  were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 2609 patients, 2506 (96.1%) had a successful treatment outcome. The median body weight of all patients at diagnosis was 46.0 kg (25th and 75th percentiles 41-51). New sputum smear-positive TB patients with a successful treatment outcome gained an average  of 2.6 kg during treatment. Patients with weight loss during the first 2 months of treatment were more likely to have an unsuccessful outcome than patients without (OR 4.9, 95%CI 3.0-7.9). Patients weighing <40 kg at treatment start who gained more than 5% of their body weight after  2 months of treatment had a significantly smaller risk of an unsuccessful treatment outcome than patients who did not (OR 0.2, 95%CI 0.05-0.96).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients failing to gain weight or losing weight, particularly during the first 2 months of treatment, require particular attention,  as they appear to be at an increased risk of unsuccessful treatment outcome.
authors.affiliation: National Tuberculosis Programme, Hanoi, Viet Nam. nguyenbinhhoatb@yahoo.com
authors.forename: N B
authors.initials: NB
authors.lastname: Hoa
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Lauritsen
authors.forename: H L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Rieder
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D014744:Vietnam; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents