Tuberculosis ‘retreatment others’: profile and treatment outcomes in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India
OBJECTIVES: To study the basic characteristics and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis (TB) patients classified as ‘retreatment others’ and compare their treatment outcomes with smear-positive retreatment TB cases (relapse, failure, and treatment after default [TAD]).
DESIGN: Retrospective record and report review of a patient cohort (n = 1237) registered as ‘retreatment others’ under the RNTCP from July to September 2008.
RESULTS: Of 1009 patient records of ‘retreatment others’ reviewed, 674 (67%) were males, 892 (88%) were aged 15–64 years, 847 (84%) were pulmonary sputum smear-negative, 843 (84%) had unknown human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and 55 (5.5%) were HIV-positive. All patients were treated with the RNTCP intermittent (thrice weekly) retreatment regimen. Eighty per cent were successfully treated (cured plus treatment completed). Successful outcomes were higher in females (84%), in patients with extra-pulmonary TB (87%) and in HIV-negative patients (87%). The treatment outcomes were significantly better for ‘retreatment others’ (P < 0.05) than among the sputum smear-positive retreatment cases (78% for relapses, 59% for failures and 73% for TAD).
CONCLUSIONS: ‘Retreatment others’ were predominantly sputum smear-negative TB, with significantly better treatment outcomes than among smear-positive retreatment patients. Future studies may assess the accuracy of the diagnoses and factors contributing to the occurrence of ‘retreatment others’.
Keywords: India; outcomes; retreatment others; tuberculosis
Document Type: Regular Paper
Affiliations: 1: Center for Operations Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (The Union), Paris, France; The Union, South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India 2: Office of the World Health Organization Representative in India, New Delhi, India 3: Impact Health Solutions, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh, India 4: Centre for Community Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, India 5: State TB Office, Directorate of Health, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, India 6: Central TB Division, Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, New Delhi, India 7: International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, South-East Asia Regional Office, New Delhi, India 8: Center for Operations Research, International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease, Paris, France
Publication date: January 1, 2011
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