title: Six- vs. eight-month anti-tuberculosis regimen for pulmonary tuberculosis under programme conditions.
abstract: METHODS
  One urban tertiary care and one rural secondary care hospital in Nigeria.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To compare the epidemiological characteristics and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) patients treated with an 8-month or 6-month anti-tuberculosis regimen in a low-resource setting.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 928 newly diagnosed smear-positive TB patients were treated with either daily ethambutol (EMB), isoniazid (INH), rifampicin (RMP) and pyrazinamide (PZA) for 2 months followed by EMB and INH for 6 months (2RHZE/6EH), or the same intensive phase as the first regimen followed by 4 months of daily RMP and INH (2RHZE/4RH). The proportion of successful outcomes was 381/490 (77.8%) with 2RHZE/6EH and 373/438 (85.2%) with 2RHZE/4RH (P = 0.004). Defaulting was significantly more frequent in patients who received 2RHZE/6EH (14.3% vs. 5.5%; P < 0.001). Treatment failure was not significantly higher in patients who received 2RHZE/6EH (2.9% vs. 1.6%; P = 0.15). After adjusting for confounders, older age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.7), 2RHZE/6EH treatment (aOR 1.6) and male sex (aOR 1.5) independently predicted unsuccessful outcomes in human immunodeficiency virus negative TB patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Newly diagnosed TB patients on 2RHZE/4RH have a higher treatment success rate than those treated with 2RHZE/6EH under programme conditions in a low-resource, high-burden setting. Current World Health Organization recommendations should be maintained.
authors: <sup>*</sup>Department of Internal Medicine, Federal Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
authors: K N
authors: KN
authors: Ukwaja
authors: Centre for Development and Reproductive Health, Enugu, Enugu State.
authors: S N
authors: SN
authors: Oshi
authors: National Tuberculosis and Leprosy Control Programme, Ministry of Health, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, Nigeria.
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Alobu
authors: Centre for Development and Reproductive Health, Enugu, Enugu State.
authors: D C
authors: DC
authors: Oshi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009549:Nigeria; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D011718:Pyrazinamide; D004977:Ethambutol; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin