An Insight Into Tuberculosis Patients in the Chest Clinic of North India: Epidemiological Profile and Treatment Outcomes in the Wake of COVID-19

Objectives Our study aims to re-evaluate the epidemiological profile and treatment outcomes of TB patients enrolled at the chest clinic of a tertiary care center after the third wave of COVID-19 in New Delhi. Patients and methods We have conducted an observational analytical study after taking the IEC approval from October 2022 to February 2022 on the TB patients enrolled from March 2022 to August 2022. The total data of 1114 TB patients was analyzed. The association between various factors and treatment outcomes was assessed using the chi-square test. To identify the independent effects of these factors on treatment outcomes, we did a multiple logistic regression analysis. Results We found that the treatment outcomes were mostly successful (83.9%, n=935), while a few patients lost to follow-up (11.7%, n=130) and died (4.4%, n=49). Deaths were significantly higher among geriatrics (19%, n=15), PTB (4.9%, n=30), and MDR TB (15%, n=3). The treatment success was highest among the new category of patients (85.1%, n=807), followed by retreatment patients (80.1%, n=117) and MDR TB patients (55%, n=11). Adults and geriatrics had a significantly higher risk of death (4.45 times and 27.93 times, respectively) compared to pediatrics. In addition, death risks were higher among males (1.6 times for females), MDR TB patients (17 times for new patients), and HIV-reactive patients (3.05 times for HIV non-reactive patients). Conclusion We found that males, HIV-TB co-infection, the geriatric population, pulmonary TB patients, and MDR TB were at a higher risk of death. By identifying high-risk groups, policymakers can prioritize targeted interventions and allocate resources effectively to address the specific needs of these vulnerable populations.