Adherence to tuberculosis treatment, sputum smear conversion and mortality: a retrospective cohort study in 48 Rwandan clinics.
BACKGROUND
Adherence to treatment and sputum smear conversion after 2 months of treatment are thought to be important for successful outcome of tuberculosis (TB) treatment.


METHODS
Retrospective cohort study of new adult TB patients diagnosed in the first quarter of 2007 at 48 clinics in Rwanda. Data were abstracted from TB registers and individual treatment charts. Logistic regression analysis was done to examine associations between baseline demographic and clinical factors and three outcomes adherence, sputum smear conversion at two months, and death.


RESULTS
Out of 725 eligible patients the treatment chart was retrieved for 581 (80%). Fifty-six (10%) of these patients took <90% of doses (defined as poor adherence). Baseline demographic characteristics were not associated with adherence to TB treatment, but adherence was lower among HIV patients not taking antiretroviral therapy (ART); p = 0.03). Sputum smear results around 2 months after start of treatment were available for 220 of 311 initially sputum-smear-positive pulmonary TB (PTB+) patients (71%); 175 (80%) had achieved sputum smear conversion. In multivariable analysis, baseline sputum smear grade (odds ratio [OR] = 2.7, 95% Confidence interval [CI] 1.1-6.6 comparing smear 3+ against 1+) and HIV infection (OR 3.0, 95%CI 1.3-6.7) were independent predictors for non-conversion at 2 months. Sixty-nine of 574 patients (12%) with known TB treatment outcomes had died. Besides other known determinants, poor adherence had an independent, strong effect on mortality (OR 3.4, 95%CI 1.4-7.8).


CONCLUSIONS
HIV infection is an important independent predictor of failure of sputum smear conversion at 2 months among PTB+ patients. Poor adherence to TB treatment is an important independent determinant of mortality.
INTERACT, Kigali, Rwanda.
Felix R
FR
Kayigamba
Mirjam I
MI
Bakker
Veronicah
V
Mugisha
Ludwig
L
De Naeyer
Michel
M
Gasana
Frank
F
Cobelens
Maarten Schim
MS
van der Loeff
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012432:Rwanda; D013183:Sputum / Q000382:microbiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*; D055815:Young Adult
D000995:Antitubercular Agents