Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate sputum culture conversion as an interim indicator of final treatment outcome of MDRTB using standardized regimen of the Nigerian National TB Control Program.
A retrospective study was conducted for the period 2010-2013, at the MDR-TB treatment center of the University College Hospital Ibadan, Nigeria. This was the first treatment center established in the country with 25 beds capacity that stated treating cases since 6th July 20010. All the culture and drug subsceptility test (DST)) proven cases of MDR pulmonary TB were admitted for 6 months for the intensive phase, followed by 12 months of ambulatory phase. The patients were followed up at monthly interval at the outpatient department of the center. Sputum culture was done on monthly bases while chest x rays were at every 6 months during treatment.
105 patients that were managed at the facility had their statistics analysed. 67 males (63.40%) and 38 females with mean age of 32.44 ± 12.63 years were studied. At month two 81(77.0%) patients were culture negative, which became 87.0% at month three while at month four 99(94 .00%) out of the 105 patients were negative
At month five 102(97.0%) have been culture negative while 3% were still culture positive.
3 patients who had sputum conversion, subsequently had positive cultures achieved reconversion again at month 6.
Overall 3 patients had treatment failure while 97% achieved a successful treatment outcome. The treatment outcome was significantly better in patients that convert within 2 months of treatment.
The study has shown that most patients with MDRTB achieved sputum culture conversion within 12 weeks of starting treatment.
- © 2014 ERS
