Childhood Tuberculosis in a Sub-Saharan Tertiary Facility: Epidemiology and Factors Associated with Treatment Outcome.
Childhood tuberculosis (TB) is a diagnostic challenge in developing countries, and patient outcome can be influenced by certain factors. We report the disease course, clinical profile and factors associated with treatment outcome in a tertiary facility of Kinshasa. Documentary and analytical studies were conducted using clinical and exploratory data for children aged up to 15 years who were admitted to the University Clinics of Kinshasa for TB. Data are presented as frequencies and averages, and binary and logistic regression analyses were performed. Of 283 children with TB, 82 (29.0%) had smear-negative TB, 40 (14.1%) had smear-positive TB, 159 (56.1%) had extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB), 2 (0.7%) had multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), 167 (59.0%) completed treatment, 30 (10.6%) were cured, 7 (2.5%) failed treatment, 4 (1.4%) died, 55 (19.4%) were transferred to health centers nearest their home, and 20 (7.0%) were defaulters. In the binary analysis, reported TB contacts (p = 0.048), type of TB (p = 0.000), HIV status (p = 0.050), Ziehl-Nielsen test result (p = 0.000), Lowenstein culture (p = 0.004) and chest X-ray (p = 0.057) were associated with outcome. In the logistic regression, none of these factors was a significant predictor of outcome. Tertiary level care facilities must improve the diagnosis and care of patients with childhood TB, which justifies the development of alternative diagnostic techniques and the assessment of other factors that potentially affect outcome.
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Loukia
0000-0002-3266-7489
L
Aketi
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Zacharie
Z
Kashongwe
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Christian
C
Kinsiona
Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.|National Tuberculosis Program, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Serge Bisuta
SB
Fueza
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Department, Public Health School at the University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Jack
J
Kokolomami
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Grace
G
Bolie
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Paul
P
Lumbala
Department of Pediatrics, University Hospital of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Joseph Shiku
JS
Diayisu
D000293:Adolescent; D017954:Africa South of the Sahara / Q000453:epidemiology; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents