Clinical consequences of non-compliance with directly observed therapy short course (DOTS): Story of a recurrent defaulter.

In 1993, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared tuberculosis (TB) a global emergency, and subsequently introduced the directly observed therapy short course (DOTS) strategy, a technical and management package, based on the earlier work of the International Union Against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease (IUATLD) and international experience with DOTS, which strategy beyond a doubt has played a great role in the initial success of this program, especially in hospitalized patients under the initial intensive phase of 4-drug, anti-TB treatment with Isoniazid, Rifampicin, Pyrazinamide and Ethambutol. This results in rapid clinical well-being and early sputum conversion. This is indeed epidemiologically very important to break the chain of infection.

Continual infusion of intrathecal baclofen (ITB): long-term effect on spasticity.

Background: Spasticity is a disorder of muscular function causing muscular tightness or spasm which occurs when there is damage to the central nervous system whether it is of spinal cord or brain origin. This insult could be either pathological or traumatic.

Method: Thirty-three patients had intrathecal Baclofen pumps implanted for severe spasticity.