Abstract

The effectiveness of retreatment regimen with major antituberculosis drugs was searched according to our country conditions in 65 cases with HIV sero-negative which had been treated for pulmonary tuberculosis before and had to be re-treated. 43 cases (66.2%) had treatment after interrupted (TAI) and 33.8% (n=22) of the cases had relapse. Treatment regimen was given as 2 HRZES / 1 HRZE / 5 HRE. Initial drug susceptibility tests were performed in 63 cases. Thirtyseven cases (58.7%) had no resistance, 26 (41.3%) cases had different resistance pattern. The regimen was not changed according to the results of drug susceptibility tests. Cumulative bacteriologic conversion rate in 52 cases was as 44.2%, 86.5% and 98% in the first, second and third month respectively. There was no difference in bacteriologic conversion rate between susceptible and resistant cases. There was no statistical difference in the ratio of resistant cases between TAI and relapse group (respectively 28.5%, 52.4% p>0.05). The results of the retreatment regimen were as cure in 22 cases (33.8%), treatment completed in 17 cases (26.1%), default in 20 cases (30.8%), treatment failure in 2 cases (3.1 %), and death in 4 cases (6.2%). Default was 13.6% in relapse cases and 39.5% in TAI cases (p=0.06). Treatment success was 81.8% in relapse cases and 48.8% in TAI cases (p=0.02). In conclusion, bacteriologic follow up and cure ratios were low whereas default ratio was high with retreatment regimen in our country conditions. Treatment success can be increased in relapse and TAI cases if patient compliance and bacteriologic follow up can be achieved with standard treatment regimen.