title: [Clinical experience using rifabutin for treating infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis in elderly Japanese patients].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To clarify whether rifabutin (RBT) can be used for treating tuberculosis in elderly Japanese patients in the clinical setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a clinical chart review from Oct 2008 to Dec 2011, for patients who were diagnosed with tuberculosis and were prescribed rifabutin, at the Fukujuji Hospital (180 beds for respiratory medicine, including 60 for TB). Primarily, we focused on characteristics of patients, the cause for RBT indication, and success rate of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the study period, 1129 patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis, and among these, 42 (3.7%) patients were prescribed RBT. Of these, 39 patients were included in this study (3 were excluded because their prescription was terminated within 2 weeks because of reasons other than adverse effects). In all, 69% patients were male. Mean age was 69 years, and mean body mass index was 19.1 +/- 3.4 kg/m2. RFP-related adverse effects were observed in 28 patients (72%; age, 73 years); these included gastrointestinal complications in 16, liver dysfunction in 7, skin rashes in 6, and renal dysfunction and thrombocytopenia in 1 each). Additional medication was required in 6 patients, and RBT-resistant TB was noted in 5 patients (28%; age, 60 years). A success rate of 71.4% was observed in cases of RFP-related adverse effects, and that of 81.8% was observed in cases of other reasons. Except for the patient who experienced renal dysfunction, RBT could be used in all patients who experienced RFP-related adverse effects.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RBT showed a relatively good success rate, even in patients who experienced RFP-related adverse effects. Thus, RBT could be an alternative in cases of RFP-related adverse effects, even in elderly patients.
authors.affiliation: Fukujuji Hospital, Japan Anti-Tuberculosis Association, Tokyo, Japan. morimotok@fukujuji.org
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Morimoto
authors.forename: Takashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yoshiyama
authors.forename: Masayuki
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kuse
authors.forename: Masao
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okumura
authors.forename: Yuka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Sasaki
authors.forename: Kozo
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yoshimori
authors.forename: Hideo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ogata
authors.forename: Atsuyuki
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kurashima
authors.forename: Shoji
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kudoh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017828:Rifabutin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012293:Rifampin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D017828:Rifabutin; D012293:Rifampin