Improved adherence and less toxicity with rifampin vs isoniazid for treatment of latent tuberculosis: A retrospective study

Abstract

Background: Treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) is an important aspect of tuberculosis control in the United States, but the effectiveness of this strategy is compromised by poor adherence to the recommended 9-month isoniazid regimen. In this study, we compared treatment completion and clinically recognized adverse drug reactions in patients prescribed 9 months of isoniazid therapy or 4 months of rifampin therapy for LTBI. Methods: Retrospective chart review of patients who received LTBI treatment at a public health clinic. Results: A total of 770 patients were prescribed 9 months of isoniazid therapy, and 1379 patients were prescribed 4 months of rifampin therapy. The percentages of patients who completed 80% or more of their prescribed treatment were 52.6% and 71.6% in the isoniazid and rifampin groups, respectively (P