title: Treatment outcome and mortality: Their predictors among HIV/TB co-infected patients from Iran.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The risk of death is significantly higher in TB/HIV-infected patients than in those patients with just one disease or the other. This study aims to evaluate the impact of demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics on the treatment outcome and mortality of TB/HIV co-infected patients in a TB tertiary center in Iran.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was conducted at Iran's National Referral Center for Tuberculosis. In total, 111 patients were recruited between 2004 and 2007. Mycobacteriology studies were performed for all patients. Demographic, clinical, and lab data of all patients were analyzed, and predictors of unsuccessful outcomes, as well as mortality, were determined.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean age for all 111 TB/HIV patients was 38±9years (range 22-70) and 107 patients (96.3%) were male; 104 patients (93.7%) had a history of drug abuse, and 96 patients (86.4%) had a history of imprisonment. The route of transmission of HIV was intravenous drug use in 88 of the patients (79.3%); 23 patients (20.7%) had a history of Category 1 (CAT-1) (5.4%) and CAT-2 treatment. Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART) was given to 48 patients (43.2%). There was no significant association found between treatment outcome or mortality with sex, smoking, drug and alcohol abuse, imprisonment, route of transmission, history of CAT-1 and CAT-2, cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4), and adverse effects (p>0.05). Administration of HAART led to a significantly higher rate of good outcome (p<0.001). Lower Albumin levels and body weight were significantly associated with mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Albumin levels and weight can be predictors of mortality and an unsuccessful outcome. Administration of HAART led to a better outcome.
authors.affiliation: Clinical TB and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Mycobacteriology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address: tabarsi@nritld.ac.ir.
authors.forename: Payam
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tabarsi
authors.affiliation: Clinical TB and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ehsan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chitsaz
authors.affiliation: Clinical TB and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Ahmadreza
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moradi
authors.affiliation: Clinical TB and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Parvaneh
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Baghaei
authors.affiliation: Clinical TB and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Majid
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marjani
authors.affiliation: Clinical TB and Epidemiology Research Center, National Research Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Masih Daneshvari Hospital, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Davood
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Mansouri
keywords: HIV; Mortality; Outcome; Tuberculosis