Comparison of the validity of smear and culture conversion as a prognostic marker of treatment outcome in patients with multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
Kefyalew Addis AleneKerri VineyHengzhong YiEmma S McBrydeKunyun YangLiqiong BaiDarren J GrayZuhui XuArchie C A ClementsPublished in: PloS one (2018)
The validity of smear conversion is significantly lower than culture conversion in predicting MDR-TB treatment outcomes. We support the WHO recommendation of using both smear and culture examination rather than smear alone for the monitoring of MDR-TB patients for a better prediction of successful treatment outcomes. The optimum time points to predict a future successful treatment outcome were between two and four months after treatment commencement for sputum smear conversion and between four and six months for culture conversion. The common optimum times for culture and smear conversion together was four months.
Keyphrases
- acinetobacter baumannii
- multidrug resistant
- pulmonary tuberculosis
- mycobacterium tuberculosis
- pseudomonas aeruginosa
- end stage renal disease
- chronic kidney disease
- newly diagnosed
- ejection fraction
- cystic fibrosis
- prognostic factors
- emergency department
- human immunodeficiency virus
- patient reported outcomes
- antiretroviral therapy