Sputum Conversion Rate And Defaulter Pattern Among Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis: Three Years Of Dots Regimen At The University Of Nigeria Teaching Hospital Enugu

Abstract

Background: Tuberculosis appears to be on the increased worldwide. Dots was introduce in a renewed effort to combat the global emergency.
Objective: To appraise the effectiveness of Dots among patients with pulmonary T.B. for the first 3years of its introduction at the UNTH Enugu.
Methods: A retrospective review of sputum conversion rate and default pattern was undertaken using the patients records, the serum register and patients monitoring booklets from March 1995 to February 1998.
Result: 1029 patients ‘ (502 males and 527 females) records were reviewed. Age range was 3-86yrs. Sputum conversion rate at 2 months was 97.9%. 905 patients were either cured or completed the course of treatment. 301 were defaulters. 49.8% of them defaulted after 2 months of treatment. The sex of the patients and marital status significantly affected tendency to default (P<0.001). Younger age of patient and place of domicile did not significantly affect the tendency to default form therapy mortality rate was 2.4%.
Conclusion: Dots strategy improved outcome of treatment, during the study period. Default rate was high in the study.


Keywords: Dots, Outcome, Default, 3 years review.

Tropical Journal of Medical Research Vol. 10 (2) 2006: pp. 13-15