Relapse following directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) - a follow up study.

Abstract

DO IS strategy was introduced m the RNTCP in 1993 because of its high efficiency. However follow up reports on the patients completing treatment under DOTS and considered cured to assess relapse rate are very few. We have followed up a cohort of 2.3 16 patients put under DOTS from 1996 to 1998 in a Municipal Ward in Mumbai. of whom 75.55% were new patients and 24 45% were retreatment cases. The cohort had shown cure/treatment completion of 83.59% (1936/23 16). deaths 4.66% (108/2316) treatment failures 1.08% (25/23 16) defaulters 9.45% (219/2136) and transferred out I 2% 1287316) All the cohort patients were followed up in their homes during August - October 1999 alter lapse of varying periods of observation. Of the 2068(89.29%) cases traced out 3.82%(79/2068) had relapsed. I 98% (41/2068) had died and 82.68% (17107 2(168) had no complaints at the tune of follow up. The rest were either on treatment or were without treatment. Among the 41 additional deaths there were 8 who had relapsed prior to follow tip visit. Therefore relapse occurred in 4.5% (87/1936) of the 1936 cases who had cured/completed treatment and overall mortality was 6.43% (149/2316). (authors)