Study on outcome of the treatment of tuberculosis patients registered under Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme – DOTS strategy

Background: India has the highest burden of TB in the world, an estimated 2 million cases annually. It is also estimated by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that 300,000 people die from TB each year in India. Non-adherence to treatment has been recognized as a major problem for cure of TB. [5] Aims: To study the outcome of the treatment of tuberculosis patients under Directly Observed Treatment Short course (DOTS) and to determine the risk factors influencing the treatment outcome of tuberculosis. Methods: This prospective observational study was carried out in five dots centers, Cuddalore district, TamilNadu. The patients registered from January to December 2014 were included in this study. Data of their treatment outcome was analyzed using standard statistical methods. Results: The study included 282 patients among them males were 203(72%) and females were 79(28%). Out of 282 subjects 218(77%) patients had pulmonary tuberculosis and 64(23%) patients had extra pulmonary tuberculosis. Treatment outcome among total 282 subjects was, 161(57%) were completed the treatment, 78(61%) patients got cured, 27(10%) patients were treatment defaulter, 12(4%) patients died and four (1%) patients were failure to treatment. Conclusion: Cure rate among New Smear Positive (NSP) patients and retreatment patients was 67% and 43% respectively. Overall treatment Success rate was 85% and the major reason for the failure rate was irregular treatment, defaulting, alcoholism.