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Comparison of LTBI treatment regimens for patients receiving anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy

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SETTING: A tertiary referral centre in South Korea.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the completion rates and adverse drug reactions of three latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) treatment regimens for patients receiving anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF) therapy.

DESIGN: A total of 408 patients were diagnosed with LTBI before receiving anti-TNF therapy between December 2004 and December 2013. Nine months of isoniazid (9H), 4 months of rifampicin (4H) or 3 months of isoniazid/rifampicin (3HR) were prescribed. The results were analysed retrospectively.

RESULTS: The mean age of the 408 study subjects was 44 years; 258 (63.2%) were male. The 9H, 4R and 3HR treatment regimens were given to respectively 61 (15.0%), 139 (34.1%) and 208 (51.0%) patients. A total of 362 (88.7%) patients completed the treatment. The treatment completion rate was highest in patients receiving 3HR (94.2%). Of the 408 patients, 54 (13.2%) had one or more adverse drug reactions; their frequency was similar in the three groups.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients receiving anti-TNF therapy, 3HR seems to be the most acceptable treatment regimen for LTBI, given its high completion rate and acceptable rate of adverse drug reactions.

Keywords: LTBI; adherence; adverse drug reaction; isoniazid; rifampicin

Document Type: Research Article

Affiliations: 1: Departments of *Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine 2: Rheumatology 3: Gastroenterology, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea

Publication date: 01 March 2015

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