title: Comparing the Daily Versus the Intermittent Regimens of the Anti-Tubercular Chemotherapy in the Initial Intensive Phase in Non-HIV, Sputum Positive, Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tuberculosis (TB) is a major health problem in the universe and India is no longer exempted from this crisis .The emergence of HIV and MDRTB (Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis) have further made the situation critical.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Our aim was to compare the efficacy of the daily and the intermittent doses of the Anti Tubercular Drug (ATD) therapy which is under the Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme, amongst the sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis in terms of the sputum conversion rate at the end of the initial phase , the default rate and the adverse drug reactions.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was an observational prospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty three patients were selected from the out patient and the inpatient departments of a tertiary medical centre in India.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty three cases received an intermittent regimen, where the major age group belonged to the under 40 years age group, the default rate to the therapy was 9.3%, the sputum conversion rate was 94.87% and adverse drug reactions were found in 25.58% of the patients. In the daily regimen, there was an equal proportion of the age group of the patients, both above and below 40 yrs, the sputum conversion rate was 94.74%, a default rate was found in 5% cases and adverse reactions were found in 35% of the cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both the intermittent and the daily regimens showed equal sputum conversion rates and the drug default cases were found more in the intermittent group. However, the adverse reactions were found more in the daily regimen category.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Chest Medicine, Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College , Kolkata, West Bengal, India .
authors.forename: Pranab Kumar
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Abhijit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mandal
authors.forename: Sujit Kumar
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Bhattacharyya
keywords: Anti tubercular drugs; Daily regimen; Intermittent regimen; Sputum
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