@article {Chiang980, author = {C-Y. Chiang and D. A. Enarson and M-C. Yu and K-J. Bai and R-M. Huang and C-J. Hsu and J. Suo and T-P. Lin}, title = {Outcome of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis: a 6-yr follow-up study}, volume = {28}, number = {5}, pages = {980--985}, year = {2006}, doi = {10.1183/09031936.06.00125705}, publisher = {European Respiratory Society}, abstract = {A retrospective study was performed to determine factors associated with the outcome of pulmonary multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Taipei, Taiwan. All patients newly diagnosed with pulmonary MDR-TB in a referral centre from 1992{\textendash}1996 were enrolled and their outcome over the subsequent 6 yrs was determined. A total of 299 patients were identified, comprising 215 (71.9\%) males and 84 (28.1\%) females with a mean age of 47.3 yrs. The patients received a mean of 3.7 effective drugs. Out of the 299 patients, 153 (51.2\%) were cured, 31 (10.4\%) failed, 28 (9.4\%) died and 87 (29.1\%) defaulted. Of the 125 patients receiving second-line drugs with ofloxacin, 74 (59.2\%) were cured. Those who received ofloxacin had a lower risk of relapse than those receiving only first-line drugs (hazard ratio (HR) 0.16, 95\% confidence interval (CI) 0.03{\textendash}0.81) and a lower risk of TB-related death than those receiving second-line drugs but not ofloxacin (adjusted HR 0.50, 95\% CI 0.31{\textendash}0.82). In conclusion, multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients who received ofloxacin were more likely to be cured, and were less likely to die, fail or relapse. The utility of new-generation fluoroquinolones, such as moxifloxacin, in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis needs to be evaluated. Default from treatment is a major challenge in the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.}, issn = {0903-1936}, URL = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/28/5/980}, eprint = {https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/28/5/980.full.pdf}, journal = {European Respiratory Journal} }