Predictors of drug-resistance in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis

Koh, Hyung Ki; Kang, Yoon Jung; Lim, Sung Yong; Shin, Jong Wook; Choi, Jae Sun; Yoo, Ji Hoon; Kim, Jae Yeol; Park, In Won; Choi, Byoung Whui; Hue, Sung Ho

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The drug-resistant tuberculosis has recently decreased in Korea, but it is still one of the major obstacles in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Unfortunately there are no reliable ways to figure out the drug sensitivity pattern of the M. tuberculosis in the starting point of treatment. At least several months which is critical for the success of treatment have to be passed away before getting the report of drug-sensitivity test. The aim of this study was to find out the clinical and radiological parameters that make it possible to predict the drug-resistant pulmonary tuberculosis and to make a correct decision on the antituberculosis drug regimens. METHOD: We studied 253 pulmonary TB patients with sputum and/or bronchial washing fluid culture-positive diagnosed at the Chung-Ang University Young-San Hospital in the period of 1989-1994. The differences in the clinical and raiological variables between the drug-sensitive and the drug-resistant tuberculosis patients were evaluated.
RESULTS
In 66 out of 253 patients(26.1%), drug resistant tuberculosis to at least one antituberculosis drug were found. Patients with retreatment showed higher resistance rate than those with initial treatment (30/69,43.5% vs 36/184, 19.5%, p<0.01). Patients with cavitary TB showed higher resistance rate than those with non-cavitary TB( (24/54, 44.4% vs 42/199, 21.1%, p<0.05). Among patients with initial treatment, those with far-advanced TB showed a higher drug resistance rate than those with minimal lesion(9/23, 36.9% vs 10/82, 12.5%, p<0.05). Patients with culture positive only in the bronchial washing fluid showed lower resistance rate than those with sputum culture positive(7/63, 11.1% vs 59/190, 31.1%, p<0.05)
CONCLUSION
Prior treatment history for pulmonary tuberculosis, the presence of cavity & far advanced tuberculosis in the radiologic exam, sputum rather than solely bronchial washing culture positivity would be the related factors to the drug resistance. So in the patients with such characteristics, it is needed to try to find out the drug sensitivity pattern of the infecting tuberculosis organism as soon as possible.