Long-term efficacy and safety of two short standardised regimens for the treatment of rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (STREAM stage 2): extended follow-up of an open-label, multicentre, randomised, non-inferiority trial.

Background: STREAM stage 2 showed that two bedaquiline-containing regimens (a 9-month all-oral regimen and a 6-month regimen with 8 weeks of aminoglycoside) had superior efficacy to a 9-month injectable-containing regimen for rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis up to 76 weeks after randomisation. Our objective in this follow-up analysis was to assess the durability of efficacy and safety, including mortality, at 132 weeks.

Methods: We report the long-term outcomes from STREAM stage 2, a randomised, phase 3 non-inferiority (10% margin) trial in participants (aged ≥15 years) with rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis without fluoroquinolone or aminoglycoside resistance at 13 clinical sites in seven countries (Ethiopia, Georgia, India, Moldova, Mongolia, South Africa, and Uganda).

Overcoming challenges of managing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in low- and middle-income countries.

Introduction: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) ranks among the top three global causes of death, with 90% of fatalities concentrated in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The projected rise in COPD burden, especially in LMICs, emphasizes the need to address the challenges for effective control and reversal of this trend. We aimed to provide an overview, and propose potential solutions to these challenges.

Finding the missing men with tuberculosis: a participatory approach to identify priority interventions in Uganda.

Gender impacts exposure and vulnerability to tuberculosis (TB) evidenced by a higher prevalence of both TB disease and missed TB diagnoses among men, who significantly contribute to new TB infections. We present the formative research phase of a study, which used participatory methods to identify gender-specific interventions for systematic screening of TB among men in Uganda. Health facility-level data were collected at four Ugandan general hospitals (Kawolo, Gombe, Mityana and Nakaseke) among 70 TB stakeholders, including healthcare workers, TB survivors, policymakers and researchers.