Affecting Factors Unfavorable Treatment Outcomes of Rifampicin-resistant/Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis Patients Treated with Long-term Regimen.

BACKGROUND: Drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) poses a significant threat to global TB control and remains a major public health issue. This study aims to evaluate treatment outcomes and identify risk factors for unfavorable outcomes in patients with multi-DR-TB (MDR-TB) treated at a major reference hospital in Istanbul. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 413 patients with rifampicin-resistant and MDR-TB who received treatment between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2023, at the University of Health Sciences Süreyyapasa Chest Diseases Training and Research Hospital. Patients were treated following the World Health Organization and national guidelines, with regimens tailored to individual drug resistance profiles and side effect management. Demographic data, comorbidities, microbiological follow-up, drug resistance patterns, treatment regimens, and radiological findings were analyzed. RESULTS: Treatment success was achieved in 350 patients (84.74%). Thirty-two patients (7.74%) were lost to follow-up, and 32 patients (7.74%) died. Logistic regression analysis identified several factors associated with unfavorable treatment outcomes: comorbidities (odds ratio [OR]: 7.555, P = 0.001), quinolone resistance (OR: 3.695, P = 0.030), and bronchiectasis (OR: 4.126, P = 0.013). Additional significant factors included male gender (P = 0.007), foreign-born status (P = 0.013), age over 35 years (P = 0.002), previous treatment history (P = 0.058), and drug side effects (P = 0.012). CONCLUSION: The long-term regimen for MDR-TB was found to be highly successful, with an 84.74% treatment success rate. Effective treatment regimens, close patient follow-up, early recognition of side effects, and comprehensive management are crucial for achieving successful outcomes. Identifying and addressing risk factors such as comorbidities, drug resistance, and specific patient demographics can further improve treatment success rates. This study underscores the importance of tailored treatment strategies and robust patient management in combating MDR-TB.

Two Difficult Pandemics: Tuberculosis and COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The coinfection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and SARS-CoV-2 is called tuberculosis and COVID-19 coinfection (TB-COVID-19). We aimed to share the clinical, radiological, and laboratory findings and treatment processes of our patients with TB-COVID-19 coinfection in our tertiary reference hospital. METHODS: Patients aged 18 years and over and hospitalized in the tuberculosis service between March 2020 and September 2022 were included. All coinfected patients whose COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction results were positive while receiving tuberculosis treatment or who were diagnosed with tuberculosis while receiving treatment for COVID-19 were included. RESULTS: The number of patients was 39; 61.6% of males; the mean age was 52 ± 17.1 years; 20% were foreign nationals; 92.5% were Asian; 69.5% had a bacteriological diagnosis; 84.6% had pulmonary tuberculosis; 10% had received antituberculosis treatment before; and 87.5% were sensitive to the first-line antituberculosis drugs. The most common comorbidities were diabetes and hypertension. 87.5% of the patients were diagnosed with tuberculosis and were superinfected with COVID-19 while receiving tuberculosis treatment. 49.5% of patients had received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. The most common presenting symptom was cough and sputum; the prominent laboratory parameter was C-reactive protein increase, and thorax computed tomography finding was consolidation, tree-in-bud, and cavitation. While 45.9% of the patients were still under treatment, 1 (2.5%) patient also resulted in mortality. CONCLUSION: In this study, attention was drawn to two infectious diseases seen with respiratory tract symptoms. The mortality rate was found to be low. Neither disease was found to be a factor aggravating the course of each other.