Safety of cycloserine and terizidone for the treatment of drug-resistant tuberculosis: a meta-analysis.

Although cycloserine (CS) is recommended by the World Health Organization as a second-line agent for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB), safety concerns have impeded its uptake by several national TB programmes. Terizidone (TRD), a structural analogue of cycloserine, may be better tolerated. To assess the safety of CS and TRD for TB treatment, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted.

Treatment interruptions among patients with tuberculosis in Russian TB hospitals.

Objective: To evaluate risk factors for in-patient treatment interruptions (TIs) in Russian tuberculosis (TB) hospitals.

Methods: The regional case-based registers for all TB patients registered in the main regional TB hospitals were analyzed for the period 1993-2002. Multivariable analysis of risk factors for TIs was performed using logistic regression.

Prevalence of extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis in Vladimir and Orel regions, Russia.

Setting: Joint World Health Organization (WHO) projects in Vladimir and Orel regions, Russia.

Objective: To study the prevalence of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) tuberculosis (TB).

Methods: Drug susceptibility testing of second-line drugs (ofloxacin, kanamycin, capreomycin, ethionamide, cycloserine and para-aminosalicylic acid) was performed on isolates from multidrug-resistant TB cases from 1 January to 31 December 2006.

Treatment interruptions and duration associated with default among new patients with tuberculosis in six regions of Russia.

Objective: To determine the frequency and length of treatment interruptions among new pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) patients and to evaluate the duration of interruption associated with default in the tuberculosis services of six Russian regions.

Methods: This was a retrospective study of all adult patients with new pulmonary TB enrolled for treatment from April 1 to September 30, 2003. Data from patients with treatment outcomes of default (n=84), failure (n=130), death (n=113), and success (n=1444) were analyzed.

Impact of socio-psychological factors on treatment adherence of TB patients in Russia.

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of social and psychological factors on treatment adherence of patients with tuberculosis (TB). To this end a cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among TB patients in four Russian regions (Orel, Vladimir, Belgorod oblasts, and Republic of Mari-El) from 01/04/2004 to 31/03/2005. A total of 87 non-adherent and 1302 adherent patients were interviewed.