A PROSPECTIVE, OBSERVATIONAL STUDY OF ADVERSE REACTIONS TO DRUG REGIME FOR MULTI-DRUG RESISTANT PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS IN CENTRAL INDIA.

Abstract

Abstract

Objective: 1) To assess the adverse drug reactions of second line anti-tubercular drugs used to treat Multi-drug resistant Tuberculosis (MDR TB) in central India on the basis of causality, severity and avoidability scales. 2) To study the relationship of type of MDR TB (primary or secondary) and presence of diabetes mellitus (DM) with mean smear conversion time. Material and Methods: A prospective, observational study was carried out on diagnosed multidrug resistant tuberculosis patients enrolled for DOTS?Plus regimen at TB and Chest Disease Department from January to December 2012. They were followed for 9 months thereafter and encountered adverse drug reactions (ADRs) were noted along with the time of sputum conversion. The data were analysed by Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test and unpaired student’s‘t’ test. Results: Total 64 ADRs were reported in 55 patients out of total 110 patients (n = 110). As per the Naranjo causality assessment of ADRs, 7 patients had “definite” causal relation, 45 had “probable” causal relation and 3 had “possible” causal relation with drugs of DOTS Plus regime. As per the Hartwig’s severity assessment scale, there were total 7 ADRs in Level 1, 6 in Level 2, 33 in Level 3 and 9 in Level 4. Hallas avoidability assessment scale divided the ADRs as 3 being “Definitely avoidable”, 26 “Possibly avoidable”, 23 “Not avoidable” and 3 “unevaluable”. ). Mean sputum smear conversion time is significantly higher in patients with secondary type than that of primary type of MDR TB (p = 0.0001) and in patients with DM than those without DM (p <0.0001). Conclusion: ADRs were common in patients of MDR TB on DOTs-Plus drug regime. It was due to lack of availability of safer and equally potent drugs in DOTs-Plus drug regime compared to DOTS regime in non-resistant TB. The frequency and severity of ADRs can be reduced by strict vigilance about known and unknown ADRs, monitoring their laboratory and clinical parameters and instituting appropriate measures.

Keywords: Adverse drug reactions, Avoidability, Causality, DOTs-Plus, MDR TB, Severity.