Antiretroviral therapy during tuberculosis treatment and marked reduction in death rate of HIV-infected patients, Thailand

Emerg Infect Dis. 2007 Jul;13(7):1001-7. doi: 10.3201/eid1307.061506.

Abstract

Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is lifesaving in patients with advanced HIV infection, but the magnitude of benefit in HIV-infected patients receiving tuberculosis (TB) treatment remains uncertain, and population-based data from developing countries are limited. We prospectively collected data about HIV-infected TB patients from February 2003 through January 2004 in Ubon-ratchathani, Thailand. During 12 months, HIV was diagnosed in 329 (14%) of 2,342 patients registered for TB treatment. Of patients with known outcomes, death during TB treatment occurred in 5 (7%) of 71 who received ART and 94 (43%) of 219 who did not. Using multivariate analysis, we found a large reduction in the odds of death for patients receiving ART before or during TB treatment (odds ratio, 0.2; 95% confidence interval, 0.1-0.5), adjusting for CD4 count, smear status, co-trimoxazole use, and treatment facility. ART is associated with a substantial reduction in deaths during TB treatment for HIV-infected TB patients in Thailand.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anti-HIV Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / complications
  • HIV Infections / drug therapy*
  • HIV Infections / mortality*
  • Humans
  • Infant
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Prospective Studies
  • Thailand
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis / mortality*

Substances

  • Anti-HIV Agents
  • Anti-Retroviral Agents
  • Antitubercular Agents