[Clinical investigation of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis --investigation of inpatients in the Kyushu region between 2004 and 2009].

OBJECTIVE: To conduct a clinical investigation of patients with multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis who received either drug therapy alone or drug therapy in combination with surgery. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A total of 56 patients with MDR tuberculosis who were admitted to hospitals of the National Hospital Organization in the Kyushu region between January 2004 and September 2009 and received drug therapy either alone or in combination with surgery were investigated. RESULTS: As surgery could not be performed in patients with advanced age or with bilateral extensive lesions, only 12 patients (21%) were able to undergo surgery. Initial drug resistance was seen in 10 patients (23%) in the drug therapy group and four patients (33%) in the combination therapy group. Underlying diseases included diabetes in 15 patients (34%) in the drug therapy group and in 6 patients (50%) in the combination therapy group. Negative conversion of the sputum culture result was observed in 43% in the drug therapy group and in 75% in the combination therapy group. The death within three years was seen in 20 patients (45%) in the drug therapy group and 1 patient (8%) in the combination therapy group. In the drug therapy group there were more cases with resistance to 5 drugs, resistance to levofloxacin (LVFX), and/or kanamycin (KM) in those who died of tuberculosis than in non-tuberculous death cases. CONCLUSION: Resistance to 5 drugs, resistance to LVFX, and resistance to KM were contributing factors of tuberculous death. Patient's operability was one of the factors associated with a good prognosis.

[Clinical analysis of cases with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis--inpatients at National Hospitals in Kyushu between 1998 and 2003].

PURPOSE: Clinical analysis of inpatients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Kyushu. OBJECT AND METHOD: Clinical analysis of fifty-six patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis, who were admitted between 1998 and 2003, at 12 national hospitals in Kyushu was performed retrospectively. RESULTS: The average age was 62.1 +/- 18.6 years, with an age range of 21 to 95 years. There were 44 males and 12 females. Seven of the 14 patients, who were under 49 years old, had not received treatment previously. Twenty nine patients had underlying diseases, which included 10 (17.9%) diabetes mellitus, 5 (8.9%) hepatic disease, and 4 (7.1%) renal insufficiency. Clinical classification of the cases were 54 pulmonary and 2 extrapulmonary tuberculosis. There were 41 (75.9%) bilateral lesions of the lung. In 8 cases, strains were resistant to only 2 drugs (isoniazid, rifampicin). In 27 cases, strains were resistant to at least 5 drugs. The prognosis was as follows: In 27 patients who were resistant to at least 5 drugs, six patients (22.2%) converted to negative on culture and 10 patients (37.0%) died. In 29 patients who were resistant to less than 5 drugs, seventeen patients (58.6%) converted to negative on culture and 6 patients (20.7%) died. Surgical operation was performed in only 7 cases. The sputum smear and culture of 2 surgical patients, who had poor control of diabetes mellitus, became positive thereafter. The other 5 surgical patients were in remission with negative cultures. CONSIDERATION: Half of the patients who were under 49 years old had not received treatment previously. More than half of the patients had underlying diseases. Patients, who were resistant to at least 5 drugs showed a lower bacteriological negative conversion-rate and higher death rate than patients who were resistant to less than 5 drugs.