title: Smear Conversion, Treatment Outcomes and the Time of Default in Registered Tuberculosis Patients on RNTCP DOTS in Puducherry, Southern India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme (RNTCP) in India has achieved improved cure rates.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This study describes the achievements under RNTCP in terms of conversion rates, treatment outcomes and pattern of time of default in patients on directly observed short-course treatment for Tuberculosis in Puducherry, Southern India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study; Tuberculosis Unit in District Tuberculosis Centre, Puducherry, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cohort analysis of patients of registered at the Tuberculosis Unit during 1(st) and 2(nd) quarter of the year 2011. Details about sputum conversion, treatment outcome and time of default were obtained from the tuberculosis register.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kaplan-Meier plots & log rank tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  RNTCP targets with respect to success rate (85.7%), death rate (2.7%) and failure rate (2.1%) in new cases have been achieved but the sputum conversion rate (88%) and default rate (5.9%) targets have not been achieved. The overall default rate for all registered TB patients was 7.4%; significantly higher in category II. In retreatment cases registered as treatment after default, the default rate was high (9%). The cumulative default rate; though similar in the initial two months of treatment; was consistently higher in category II as compared to that in category I. Nearly 40% of all defaulters interrupted treatment between the second and fourth month after treatment initiation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Defaulting from treatment is more common among the retreatment cases and usually occurs during the transition phase from intensive phase to continuation phase.
authors.affiliation: Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College , Kathirkamam, Pondicherry, India .
authors.forename: Kavita
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Vasudevan
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College , Kathirkamam, Pondicherry, India .
authors.forename: Niranjana
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Jayakumar
authors.affiliation: Resident, Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College , Kathirkamam, Pondicherry, India .
authors.forename: Dhivyalakshmi
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Gnanasekaran
keywords: Default; Directly observed treatment-short course (DOTS); Outcome; Sputum conversion