PREDICTORS OF TREATMENT OUTCOME AMONG SPUTUM POSITIVE ADULT PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS IN NORTH INDIA: A PROSPECTIVE COHORT STUDY

Background: India is one of the highest TB burden countries with an annual incidence 199 TB cases/100,000 population and the estimated death rate in the year 2023 among all forms of TB was 23/100,000 population. The variables like undernutrition or malnutrition at treatment initiation, low BMI, presence of comorbidities and severe stunting were associated with unfavourable TB treatment outcomes. Material and Methods: The study was a prospective cohort study carried out at DTC Rohtak and study period was 6 months i.e. January 2024 – June 2024. The study recruited all newly diagnosed sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis adult age ≥18 years patients registered during the period Jan 2024-June 2024 on Nikshay portal for DTC urban TU Rohtak. Results: A total of 65 study subjects; majority of study subjects 57 (87.7%) were cured, 7 (10.8%) study subjects completed treatment while one study subject was died during course of treatment. In the multivariable analysis, the variables like: age, caste, marital status, education, occupation, BMI, DM and AFB Grading were found statistically significant with the treatment outcome of the patients. Conclusion and Recommendations: The study concluded that various predictors were found to be significantly associated with a successful treatment outcome. The study recommends that primary health care workers/professionals or DOTS providers should be apprised about the importance of completing of treatment though health education to TB patient.