Journal Article > CommentaryFull Text
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2020 October 1; Volume 24 (Issue 10); 1081-1086.; DOI:10.5588/ijtld.20.0141
Seung KJ, Khan UT, Varaine FFV, Ahmed SM, Bastard M, et al.
Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2020 October 1; Volume 24 (Issue 10); 1081-1086.; DOI:10.5588/ijtld.20.0141
In 2015, the initiative Expand New Drug Markets for TB (endTB) began, with the objective of reducing barriers to access to the new and repurposed TB drugs. Here we describe the major implementation challenges encountered in 17 endTB countries. We provide insights on how national TB programmes and other stakeholders can scale-up the programmatic use of new and repurposed TB drugs, while building scientific evidence about their safety and efficacy. For any new drug or diagnostic, multiple market barriers can slow the pace of scale-up. During 2015–2019, endTB was successful in increasing the number of patients receiving new and repurposed TB drugs in 17 countries. The endTB experience has many lessons, which are relevant to country level introduction of new TB drugs, as well as non-TB drugs and diagnostics. For example: the importation of TB drugs is possible even in the absence of registration; emphasis on good clinical monitoring is more important than pharmacovigilance reporting; national guidelines and expert committees can both facilitate and hinder innovative practice; clinicians use new and repurposed TB drugs when they are available; data collection to generate scientific evidence requires financial and human resources; pilot projects can drive national scale-up.
Journal Article > LetterFull Text
Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 September 9; Volume 21 (Issue 11); DOI:10.3201/eid2111.151119
Achar J, Berry C, Herboczek K, Parpieva N, Tillashaykhov M, et al.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2015 September 9; Volume 21 (Issue 11); DOI:10.3201/eid2111.151119
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Public Health Action. 2015 June 21; Volume 5 (Issue 2); 99-102.; DOI:10.5588/pha.15.0007
du Cros PAK, Swaminathan A, Bobokhojaev O, Sharifovna ZD, Martin C, et al.
Public Health Action. 2015 June 21; Volume 5 (Issue 2); 99-102.; DOI:10.5588/pha.15.0007
Guidelines for children with drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) tend to focus on individual patient care; there is little guidance for national tuberculosis programmes (NTPs) on how to plan, implement and integrate DR-TB services for children. In 2013, through the paediatric tuberculosis (TB) programme started by the Tajikistan Ministry of Health and Médecins Sans Frontières in 2011, 21 children became the first to be treated for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in Tajikistan. We describe the challenges encountered in establishing the programme and the solutions to these challenges, and propose a framework to guide the implementation of paediatric DR-TB care. This framework could prove useful for other NTPs in resource-limited settings.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 October 1; Volume 23 (Issue 10); 1711-1713.; DOI:10.3201/eid2310.170303
Achar J, Hewison CCH, Cavalheiro AP, Skrahina A, Cajazeiro J, et al.
Emerg Infect Dis. 2017 October 1; Volume 23 (Issue 10); 1711-1713.; DOI:10.3201/eid2310.170303
We describe 27 children and adolescents <18 years of age who received bedaquiline during treatment for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. We report good treatment responses and no cessation attributable to adverse effects. Bedaquiline could be considered for use with this age group for multidrug-resistant tuberculosis when treatment options are limited.
Journal Article > ResearchFull Text
ERJ Open Res. 2021 February 8; Volume 7 (Issue 1); DOI:10.1183/23120541.00537-2020
du Cros PAK, Khamraev AK, Tigay Z, Abdrasuliev T, Greig J, et al.
ERJ Open Res. 2021 February 8; Volume 7 (Issue 1); DOI:10.1183/23120541.00537-2020
BACKGROUND
In 2016, World Health Organization guidelines conditionally recommended standardised shorter 9–12-month regimens for multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) treatment. We conducted a prospective study of a shorter standardised MDR-TB regimen in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
METHODS
Consecutive adults and children with confirmed rifampicin-resistant pulmonary TB were enrolled between September 1, 2013 and March 31, 2015; exclusions included prior treatment with second-line anti-TB drugs, and documented resistance to ofloxacin or to two second-line injectable agents. The primary outcome was recurrence-free cure at 1 year following treatment completion.
RESULTS
Of 146 enrolled patients, 128 were included: 67 female (52.3%), median age 30.1 (interquartile range 23.8–44.4) years. At the end of treatment, 71.9% (92 out of 128) of patients achieved treatment success, with 68% (87 out of 128) achieving recurrence-free cure at 1 year following completion. Unsuccessful outcomes during treatment included 22 (17.2%) treatment failures with fluoroquinolone-resistance amplification in 8 patients (8 out of 22, 36.4%); 12 (9.4%) lost to follow-up; and 2 (1.5%) deaths. Recurrence occurred in one patient. Fourteen patients (10.9%) experienced serious adverse events. Baseline resistance to both pyrazinamide and ethambutol (adjusted OR 6.13, 95% CI 2.01; 18.63) and adherence <95% (adjusted OR 5.33, 95% CI 1.73; 16.36) were associated with unsuccessful outcome in multivariable logistic regression.
CONCLUSION
Overall success with a standardised shorter MDR-TB regimen was moderate with considerable treatment failure and amplification of fluoroquinolone resistance. When introducing standardised shorter regimens, baseline drug susceptibility testing and minimising missed doses are critical. High rates globally of pyrazinamide, ethambutol and ethionamide resistance raise questions of continued inclusion of these drugs in shorter regimens in the absence of drug susceptibility testing-confirmed susceptibility.
In 2016, World Health Organization guidelines conditionally recommended standardised shorter 9–12-month regimens for multidrug-resistant (MDR) tuberculosis (TB) treatment. We conducted a prospective study of a shorter standardised MDR-TB regimen in Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan.
METHODS
Consecutive adults and children with confirmed rifampicin-resistant pulmonary TB were enrolled between September 1, 2013 and March 31, 2015; exclusions included prior treatment with second-line anti-TB drugs, and documented resistance to ofloxacin or to two second-line injectable agents. The primary outcome was recurrence-free cure at 1 year following treatment completion.
RESULTS
Of 146 enrolled patients, 128 were included: 67 female (52.3%), median age 30.1 (interquartile range 23.8–44.4) years. At the end of treatment, 71.9% (92 out of 128) of patients achieved treatment success, with 68% (87 out of 128) achieving recurrence-free cure at 1 year following completion. Unsuccessful outcomes during treatment included 22 (17.2%) treatment failures with fluoroquinolone-resistance amplification in 8 patients (8 out of 22, 36.4%); 12 (9.4%) lost to follow-up; and 2 (1.5%) deaths. Recurrence occurred in one patient. Fourteen patients (10.9%) experienced serious adverse events. Baseline resistance to both pyrazinamide and ethambutol (adjusted OR 6.13, 95% CI 2.01; 18.63) and adherence <95% (adjusted OR 5.33, 95% CI 1.73; 16.36) were associated with unsuccessful outcome in multivariable logistic regression.
CONCLUSION
Overall success with a standardised shorter MDR-TB regimen was moderate with considerable treatment failure and amplification of fluoroquinolone resistance. When introducing standardised shorter regimens, baseline drug susceptibility testing and minimising missed doses are critical. High rates globally of pyrazinamide, ethambutol and ethionamide resistance raise questions of continued inclusion of these drugs in shorter regimens in the absence of drug susceptibility testing-confirmed susceptibility.