Characteristics and treatment outcomes of tuberculosis retreatment cases in three regional hospitals, Uganda

SETTING: Three regional referral hospitals in Uganda with a high burden of tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cases. OBJECTIVE: To determine the treatment outcomes of TB retreatment cases and factors influencing these outcomes. DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study of routinely collected National Tuberculosis Programme data between 1 January 2009 and 31 December 2010. RESULTS: The study included 331 retreatment patients (68% males), with a median age of 36 years, 93 (28%) of whom were relapse smear-positive, 21 (6%) treatment after failure, 159 (48%) return after loss to follow-up, 26 (8%) relapse smear-negative and 32 (10%) relapse cases with no smear performed. Treatment success rates for all categories of retreatment cases ranged between 28% and 54%. Relapse smear-positive (P = 0.002) and treatment after failure (P = 0.038) cases were less likely to have a successful treatment outcome. Only 32% of the retreatment cases received a Category II treatment regimen; there was no difference in treatment success among patients who received Category II or Category I treatment regimens (P = 0.73). CONCLUSION: Management of TB retreatment cases and treatment success for all categories in three referral hospitals in Uganda was poor. Relapse smear-positive or treatment after failure cases were less likely to have a successful treatment outcome.