PREDICTORS OF TUBERCULOSIS TREATMENT OUTCOME AMONG HIV-POSITIVE PATIENTS IN LAGOS STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Tuberculosis is curable if patients with drug susceptible organisms are treated on time and are given sufficient uninterrupted therapy. Despite the fact that TB is treatable and curable, it has proved impossible to eliminate and this has been worsened by HIV/AIDS epidemic. HIV/AIDS is seen to be fueling the prevalence of TB. The aim of this study was to assess the factors associated with the treatment outcomes of TB among HIV-Positive patients in Lagos State. This study was a cross sectional descriptive study to determine factors associated to TB treatment outcomes of Tuberculosis among HIV-Patients in Lagos state. Multistage sampling method was used in this study. A semi-structured, interview-administered questionnaire was used to collect information; the data obtained was analyzed using EPI-INFO statistical software version 7.1. 46.1% were cured as a result of the treatment, 5.12% defaulted on the course of treatment, 9.6% treatment failed, and 4.1% were transferred out to another hospital for further treatment while 34.8% completed their treatment. Thus successful treatment comes to 80.9%.Patients demographic information were taken, like their names, registration numbers, sex, age clinical classification, HIV status, treatment outcome, CD4 count for initial and latest, PCV at initial and their weights. The mean age of respondents is 37.3 ± 10.6, the mean for initial CD4 count is 188.16 ± 171.7, latest CD4 count is 441.3 ± 206.9, initial PCV 33.0 ± 6.9 and weight 55.7 ± 13.5 respectively. from the result of the means, it revealed that initial CD4 count increased from 188 to 441, showing signifying the effectiveness of the treatments that they are being given. Majority (62.2%) of these respondents are females, (40.2%) between the age of 28-37 years. Patients interview shows that 80.1 % of respondents claimed that there treatment was not interrupted and 66.6% were of them were married and 43% of them are traders with 45.1% of them having secondary education. More than half of the respondent claimed that the health facility is >5km faraway from their residence. There is high successful treatment outcome as a result of early initiation of antiretroviral drugs and adherence to drugs, the low unsuccessful treatment outcome results from 5.12% default, 9.6% failure on treatment and 4.1 % transferred out to another hospital. The Government should design effective HIV/TB treatment centres with good HIV/TB collaborative activities. This will ensure early initiation of anti-retroviral drugs and thus reduce prevalence of TB among HIV-Positive to the same level as HIV-Negative. Other Non-governmental agencies should support government in reducing default rate on both HIV and TB drugs when they start treatment.