title: Low rate of non-compliance to antituberculous therapy under the banner of directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) strategy and well organized retrieval system: a call for implementation of this strategy at all DOTS centers in Saudi Arabia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The objective of this study was to show the effectiveness of revised retrieval system on non-compliance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated the effectiveness of a revised retrieval system on non-compliance during continuous phase of antituberculous treatment (Jan-2005 to Dec-2010) compared to baseline non-compliance (Jan-2002 to Dec-2004).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the baseline period, 141 of 501 (28%) patients did not attend their first appointment. Of these 141 patients, 63 (45%) patients could be brought back to treatment while 78 patients (16%) dropped out and could not be retrieved. During the 2nd phase after launching a revised retrieval system, 98 of 835 (13%) patients did not attend their first appointment. Using the retrieval system, 79 (81%) patients were brought back for regular follow up, and 19 patients could not be retrieved, a dropout rate of 2.27%. By virtue of revised retrieval system, there was a significant drop in non-compliance by 15% and a decline in net dropout rate by 14%. The number of those brought back to treatment by revised retrieval system almost doubled (81%) compared to 44% retrieval in initial period.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The revised retrieval system had a significant impact on the reduction of dropout rate and significant improvement in the retrieval of those patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chest Diseases, Tuberculosis Center Dammam Medical Complex (MOH) Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Liaqat Ali
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Chaudhry
authors.affiliation: Specialty Internal Medicine, Johns Hopkins Aramco Healthcare, Dhahran, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Jaffar
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Al-Tawfiq
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine & Endocrinology, Dammam Medical Complex (MOH), Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Ebtesam
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ba-Essa
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Diabetes Treatment Center, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: Asirvatham Alwin
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Robert
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023801:Directly Observed Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D055118:Medication Adherence; D010352:Patient Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents
keywords: DOTS; TB-tuberculosis; antituberculous; non-Compliance