Unfavorable treatment outcomes among patients with drugresistant TB in Uganda

Abstract

Background: Drug-resistant TB (DR-TB) remains a significant public health burden and a threat to the progress made in TB control and prevention in sub- Saharan Africa. Objective: To determine the risk-predictors of poor treatment outcomes in patients with DR-TB in Uganda. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed medical records of adult Ugandans who had been treated for DR-TB at Mbarara Regional Referral Hospital (MRRH) in Uganda. Results: Of the 385 files reviewed, 332 (86.2%) met the study inclusion criteria. Of these, 226 (68.1%) were men and 193 (58.1%) were HIV-positive. A total of 73 participants (22.7%) had unfavorable treatment outcomes (treatment failure, loss to follow-up or death). History of cigarette smoking (OR 5.10, 95% CI 2.4– 11.4; P, 0.001), age .60 years (OR 6.32, 95% CI 2.2–18.6; P, 0.001), anemia (OR 2.38, 95% CI 1.1–5.3; P ¼ 0.02) and thrombocytopenia (OR 3.60, 95% CI 1.6– 8.1; P, 0.001) were independent predictors of unfavorable treatment outcomes. Conclusion: There is a high prevalence of unfavorable treatment outcomes among patients with DR-TB. Further research is required to design a prognostic model for DR-TB patients in a resource-limited setting.