title: Tuberculosis mortality: death from a curable disease, Connecticut, 2007-2009.
abstract: METHODS
  Health Department Tuberculosis (TB) Control program, Connecticut, United States
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  1) To assess TB-relatedness of deaths and missed opportunities among Connecticut patients who died with TB, and 2) to identify factors associated with death.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study population  consisted of all persons diagnosed with TB and reported to the Connecticut TB Control Program during 2007-2009. TB Control Program records, medical records, autopsy reports and death certificates of decedents were reviewed. A tool was used to categorize TB-relatedness of deaths and identify  missed opportunities in diagnosis and medical treatment among TB-related deaths. Surveillance data regarding TB survivors were used for comparison to identify factors associated with death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During 2007-2009, 20/300 (7%) persons with TB died; 14 (70%) decedents had at least  one medical comorbidity and 17 (85%) deaths were TB-related. Among patients who had a TB-related death, 16 (94%) had ≥1 missed opportunity identified. Excess alcohol use (risk ratio [RR] 4.4, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8-11.0) and age > 64 years (RR 5.7, 95%CI 2.5-13.1)  were associated with death.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of deaths among Connecticut TB patients were TB-related. Missed opportunities were common. Excess alcohol use and older age might indicate a need for monitoring to prevent death.
authors.affiliation: Epidemic Intelligence Service, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Kattan
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Sosa
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Lobato
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000401:mortality; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002423:Cause of Death; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D015897:Comorbidity; D003237:Connecticut / Q000453:epidemiology; D003644:Death Certificates; D057210:Delayed Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents