Improved Fluoroquinolone-Resistant and Extensively Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis Treatment Outcomes

Abstract

Background Treatment outcomes of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) remain poor, particularly for fluoroquinolone-resistant (FQ-R) MDR TB. The aim of this study was to determine treatment outcomes and factors associated with failure of MDR TB treatment, focusing on FQ resistance. Methods Medical records were retrospectively reviewed of patients diagnosed and treated for MDR TB from January 2005 through December 2017 at Severance Hospital, South Korea. Results Of a total of 129 patients with MDR TB, 90 (69.8%) cases were FQ-sensitive (FQ-S) and 39 (30.2%) were FQ-R. FQ-R MDR TB was associated with more severe clinical symptoms, including cavitary lesions and bilateral disease, and tended to require treatment with a greater number of drugs for a longer period of time than FQ-S MDR TB. Linezolid (51.3% vs 7.8%, P