Experience of short-course treatment in those suffering from multiple drug resistant tuberculosis

Abstract

The article presents the analysis of outcomes of short course treatment of tuberculosis patients with multiple drug resistance (MDR TB), which was twice shorter compared to standard treatment (9-12 months versus 20-14 months). The efficiency of short-course and standard treatment did not differ significantly in new MDR TB cases and those previously who had limited tuberculous lesions and received no therapy with second line drugs in the past (69.2% versus 68.2%), while the default rate was twice less (13.5% versus 27%, p = 0.03). Economic efficiency of treatment: costs of drugs for short-course treatment of MDR TB were 3 times lower compared to the standard one.