[Management of TB suspected cases of drug resistant tuberculosis requiring a second treatment]

Abstract

The management of patients with resistance to anti tuberculous drugs is complex and therefore must be managed by physician specialists. The most difficult patients are the cases in retreatment, where some very different possibilities are possible, as abandonment, failures and relapses. Patients with multi-drug resistant (MDR) tuberculosis are the most difficult to treat; MDR appears in all the failures or non-adherences to the treatment regime. To elaborate a scheme of retreatment for these patients, two guidelines must be followed: (1) do not rely on outcomes of drug susceptibility tests and (2) a detailed history of drug treatment must be considered of paramount importance. With this information, a retreatment scheme can be formulated that involves the use of at least three drugs not previously taken by the patient. For a successful control of tuberculosis, the national tuberculosis programs in Latin American countries must assure careful management of newly diagnosed patients. Secondly, if resources are available, a bank of second-line drugs must be ready for managing retreatment situations (e.g., 3 Z-Kn-Eth-Of/15 Z-Eth-Of) if first line drug treatments fail. Using individualized retreatment with second line drugs is recommended only in industrialized countries, and for a few middle income countries as a last resort.