TY - JOUR AU - Zhdanova, Elena AU - Goncharova, Olga AU - Davtyan, Hayk AU - Alaverdyan, Sevak AU - Sargsyan, Aelita AU - Harries, Anthony D AU - Maykanaev, Bolot PY - 2021/09/29 Y2 - 2024/03/29 TI - 9-12 months short treatment for patients with MDR-TB increases treatment success in Kyrgyzstan JF - The Journal of Infection in Developing Countries JA - J Infect Dev Ctries VL - 15 IS - 09.1 SE - EECA Regional SORT IT DO - 10.3855/jidc.13757 UR - https://jidc.org/index.php/journal/article/view/34609962 SP - 66S-74S AB - <p>Introduction: MDR/RR-TB is a growing problem in Kyrgyzstan. In 2005, the country introduced standard or individualized treatment for 20-24 months. Because of poor treatment outcomes, in 2017 a short treatment with strict eligibility criteria was introduced. The aim of this study was to compare characteristics and treatment outcomes of MDR/RR-TB patients receiving short (9-12 months) treatment in 2017 with those receiving standard or individualized (20-24 months) treatment in 2016/2017.</p><p>Methodology: A comparative cohort study using routine programmatic data. Characteristics, sputum culture conversion and treatment outcomes were compared between those on short treatment with those on standard/individualized treatment using the chi-square test, crude and adjusted risk ratios (RR and aRR).</p><p>Results: The study included 274, 82 and 132 patients on standard, individualized and short treatment, respectively. There were more females, fewer migrants/homeless and unemployed and more new TB patients on short treatment compared with the other two groups. A favorable outcome (cure and treatment completed) was significantly higher in short treatment patients (83%) compared with those on standard (50%) or individualized (59%) treatment (<em>p </em>&lt; 0.001). There was higher 1-month sputum culture conversion with short treatment (35%) compared with the other two groups (19% and 24%,<em> p </em>&lt; 0.05). Short treatment (aRR 1.6, 1.4-1.8), female gender (aRR 1.2, 1.1-1.4), not being homeless (aRR 12.9, 4.5-17.3) and having new TB (aRR 1.3, 1.0-1.5) were independently associated with a favorable outcome.</p><p>Conclusions: The treatment success was higher in selected MDR-TB patients given short treatment in Kyrgyzstan: this regimen should be scaled-up to all MDR-TB patients.</p> ER -