J Korean Med Sci.  2007 Feb;22(1):26-29. 10.3346/jkms.2007.22.1.26.

The Interval Between Initiation of Anti-tuberculosis Treatment in Patients with Culture-positive Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Receipt of Drug-susceptibility Test Results

• Joh JS
• Lee CH
• Lee JE
• Park YK
• Bai GH
• Kim EC
• Han SK
• Shim YS
• Yim JJ

• KMID: 1713225
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2007.22.1.26

Abstract

Although mycobacterial culture and the subsequent drug-susceptibility test (DST) for anti-tuberculosis (TB) drugs take several months to complete using solid media, there are no reports on the turnaround times of these tests under clinical conditions. The aim of this study was to determine the interval between initiation of anti-TB treatment and receipt of DST requested at an outpatient clinic. We prospectively enrolled patients with culture-positive pulmonary TB at Seoul National University Hospital from September 2002 to December 2004. Patients were followed up monthly. Mycobacterial cultures were done using Ogawa media at Seoul National University Hospital. DST were performed at the Korean Institute of Tuberculosis. Of the 104 patients enrolled, 54 were male. The median age was 41 yr. The median interval from initiation of anti-TB treatment to receipt of mycobacterial culture results by clinicians was 37 days (range, 0-89 days). The median interval from initiation of treatment to confirmation of DST by requesting clinicians was 80.5 days (range, 28-145 days). Clinicians only received the results of DST more than two months after initiation of treatment when they followed up patients monthly and mycobacterial culture was performed using solid media.

Keyword

Tuberculosis; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Treatment

MeSH Terms

Tuberculosis, Pulmonary/*drug therapy
Time Factors
Prospective Studies
Middle Aged
*Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Male
Humans
Female
Antitubercular Agents/pharmacology/*therapeutic use
Aged
Adult
Adolescent

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Intervals related to the transmission of the results of drug-susceptibility tests. All numbers in this figure represent days. *When anti-TB treatment was started after receipt of the result of positive mycobacterial culture, the interval was regarded as 0 days. †Drug-susceptibility test.

• 

  Fig. 2 Monthly receipt of the results of drug-susceptibility tests after initiation of the anti-TB treatment by clinicians *Drug-susceptibility test, †Months mean duration of anti-tuberculosis treatment.

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