title: Predictors of drug resistance in tuberculosis patients in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Management of patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis is highly complicated because of the longer treatment time, lesser effectiveness of second-line antituberculosis drugs, more side-effects, and a significant financial burden on tuberculosis control programs. This study aimed to identify predictors of drug-resistant tuberculosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  It was a case-control record study conducted in an antituberculosis center in a government hospital in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Cases were pulmonary tuberculosis patients with antituberculosis drug resistance (n=80), and controls were pulmonary tuberculosis patients without drug resistance (n=101). Data were collected from patients' records during the period from January 2008 to February 2013.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Male sex [odds ratio (OR)=5.764; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.024-16.421], smoking (OR=4.605; 95% CI 1.864-11.378), and positive Acid Fast Bacilli smear on admission (OR=40.149; 95% CI 9.010-178.914) were the risk factors for developing drug resistance (P<0.05 for each) in the sample.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Positive AFB smear on admission, male sex, and smoking are risk factors for developing drug-resistant TB. These predictors should be used to formulate a health policy to monitor tuberculosis patients so as to prevent drug resistance.
authors: Department of Health Information Management and Technology, College of Applied Medical Sciences, University of Dammam, Dammam, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors: Azza A
authors: AA
authors: El Mahalli
authors: Mona F
authors: MF
authors: Al-Qahtani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012307:Risk Factors; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D018088:Tuberculosis, Multidrug-Resistant / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents