Short course chemotherapy in children suffering from respiratory tuberculosis and exposed to multiple and extensive drug resistant tuberculosis

Abstract

The objective of the study: to assess the efficacy of short course chemotherapy in children suffering from respiratory tuberculosis and exposed to multiple and extensive drug resistant tuberculosis.

Subjects and methods. 17 children (the median age was 7 years) with active respiratory tuberculosis and exposed to multiple and extensive drug resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) received treatment. None of the children had a positive result of a sputum test. During the intensive phase, chemotherapy consisted of 5 drugs and 4 drugs in the continuation phase. The regimen consisted of the drugs, to which the index case was susceptible. The duration of the intensive phase and the whole course of treatment was determined by the time when symptoms of intoxication were relieved, blood rates returned to normal, and positive X-ray changes were observed. The chemotherapy efficacy was confirmed by the absence of relapse during the long-term follow-up (1-3 years after treatment completion).

Results. In 57.1% of cases, symptoms of intoxication stopped after 3 months of treatment, in 42.9% it happened later; blood rates returned to normal in 53.8% of cases after 2 months, in 46.2% – at a later date. In the majority of cases (82.4%), starting from 3 months of treatment, gradual positive X-ray changes were observed; in 17.6% of cases, the X-ray signs remained stable. On average after 8.0 ± 0.4 months of treatment, 35.3% of cases underwent planned surgery. The median duration of the intensive phase made 4.2 ± 0.4 months, the whole course of chemotherapy was 16.0 ± 0.7 months. No relapses were observed in 1-3 years after treatment completion.