Predictors of Two Months Culture Conversion in Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis: Findings from a Retrospective Cohort Study

BACKGROUND: Various studies have reported culture conversion at two months as a predictor of successful treatment outcome in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB). OBJECTIVES: The present study was conducted with the aim to evaluate the rate and predictors of culture conversion at two months in MDR-TB patients. METHODS: All confirmed pulmonary MDR-TB patients enrolled for treatment at Lady Reading Hospital Peshawar, Pakistan from 1 January to 31 December 2012 and met the inclusion criteria were reviewed retrospectively. Rate and predictors of culture conversion at two months were evaluated. RESULTS: Eighty seven (53.4%) out of 163 patients achieved culture conversion at two months. In a multivariate analysis lung cavitation at baseline chest X-ray (P = 0.006, OR = 0.349), resistance to ofloxacin (P = 0.041, OR = 0.193) and streptomycin (P = 0.017, OR = 0.295) had statistically significant (P<0.05) negative association with culture conversion at two months. CONCLUSION: A reasonable proportion of patients achieved culture conversion at two months. Factors negatively associated with culture conversion at two months can be easily identified either before diagnosis or early in the course of MDR-TB treatment. This may help in better care of individual patients by identifying them early and treating them vigorously.