title: Monitoring liver function among patients who initiated anti-tuberculosis drugs in Taiwan, 2000-2011.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate adherence to liver function monitoring as recommended in Taiwan's tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis and treatment guidelines for newly diagnosed TB patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study of the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD), Taiwan, 2000-2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  From the NHIRD, we identified 11 397 newly diagnosed TB patients who initiated anti-tuberculosis treatment between 2000 and 2011 and categorised these into three groups: completely, partially and non-adherent. Logistic regression was used to explore potential factors associated with the adherence rate.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The completely adherent rate increased from 0.5% in 2000 to 9.2% in 2011, while the non-adherent rate decreased from 17.5% to 1.2%. Compared to the non-adherent group, patients with a history of liver disease (OR 4.36, 95%CI 1.92-9.87) and viral hepatitis (OR 9.39, 95%CI 1.47-60.19), as well as patients whose prescribing physicians were specialists in chest (OR 4.59, 95%CI 1.91-11.05), TB (OR 2.55, 95%CI 1.01-6.40) and infectious diseases (OR 3.93, 95%CI 1.08-14.31), had higher odds of being completely adherent to the guidelines.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings could serve as an important reference for developing effective strategies to improve adherence to guidelines and prevent patients from developing anti-tuberculosis drug-associated hepatotoxicity.
authors.affiliation: Taiwan Drug Relief Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: H-C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Chou
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: S-W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Taiwan Drug Relief Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: W-W
authors.initials: WW
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Taiwan Drug Relief Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: W-M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Ke
authors.affiliation: Taiwan Drug Relief Foundation, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: P-H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Chao
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: F-Y
authors.initials: FY
authors.lastname: Hsiao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D019983:Guideline Adherence; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008099:Liver / Q000187:drug effects*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008111:Liver Function Tests; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents