Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes and Factors Associated with Each of Them in a Cohort Followed Up between 2010 and 2014

Abstract

Tuberculosis treatment has undergone recent changes in Brazil. <i>Objective</i>. To assess whether favorable outcomes on tuberculosis therapy improved in recent years. <i>Methods</i>. Retrospective observational study, based on primary data of tuberculosis patients, followed at INI-FIOCRUZ, from January 2012 to December 2014. <i>Results</i>. The outcomes observed were as follows: cure (80%), default (14%), treatment failure (5%), and death (1%). HIV infection without antiretroviral therapy [OR 0.34 (0.15-0.79)], tuberculosis diagnosis based on sputum smear [OR 0.22 (0.07-0.74)], drug use [OR 0.22 (0.11-0.46)], and/or treatment interruption due to adverse reactions [OR 0.23 (0.08-0.67)] decreased the chance of cure. Predictors of default, that is, use of noninjecting drugs [OR 3.00 (95% CL 1.31-6.88)], treatment interruption due to adverse reactions [OR 6.30 (1.81-21.95)], low schooling [OR 2.59 (2.15-5.82)], higher age [OR 0.44 (0.23-0.82)], and female gender [OR 0.28 (0.11-0.71)], reduced the chance of treatment default. Tuberculosis diagnosis based on sputum smear [OR 7.77 (1.94-31.09)] and/or arterial hypertension [OR 4.07 (1.25-13.18)] was associated with treatment failure. <i>Conclusion</i>. Mortality and default were low considering the prevalence of HIV infection; however cure was not significantly increased.