Outcomes of HIV-infected children with tuberculosis who are started on antiretroviral therapy in Malawi

• Published in: The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease Vol. 11; no. 5; pp. 534 - 538
• Main Authors: BONG, C.-N, CHEN, S. C. C, JONG, Y.-J, TOK, T.-S, HSU, C.-F, SCHOUTEN, E. J, MAKOMBE, S. D, YU, J. K.-L, HARRIES, A. D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Paris, France IUATLD 01-05-2007; Union internationale contre la tuberculose et les maladies respiratoires
• Subjects: Adolescent; Anti-HIV Agents - therapeutic use; Antiretroviral Therapy; Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Female; Follow-Up Studies; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - drug therapy; HIV Infections - mortality; Human immunodeficiency virus; Human viral diseases; Humans; Infant; Infectious diseases; Malawi; Male; Medical sciences; Miscellaneous; Pneumology; Prevention and actions; Public health. Hygiene; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Retrospective Studies; Survival Rate; Treatment Outcome; Treatment Outcomes; Tuberculosis - complications; Tuberculosis - drug therapy; Viral diseases; Viral diseases of the lymphoid tissue and the blood. Aids; Malawi; Africa; Human; Immunopathology; Antiretroviral agent; Prognosis; antiretroviral therapy; AIDS; Mycobacterial infection; Immune deficiency; TB; Infection; Chemotherapy; Treatment; Tuberculosis; treatment outcomes; Malawi; children; Viral disease; Bacteriosis; Antiviral; Evolution; Child; Pneumology
• ISSN: 1027-3719; 1815-7920

SETTING: Mzuzu Central Hospital, in the northern region of Malawi, which provides free antiretroviral therapy (ART) to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected adults and children, including those with tuberculosis (TB).OBJECTIVES: To compare outcomes in HIV-infected children
who have been started on ART because of 1) active TB, 2) a past history of TB in the last 2 years and 3) a non-TB diagnosis.DESIGN: Retrospective data collection using ART patient master cards and ART patient registers.RESULTS: Between July 2004 and September 2006, 439 (11%) children
of a total 3908 patients were started on ART. There were 29 with active TB, 56 with a past history of TB in the last 2 years and 354 with a non-TB diagnosis. The three groups were similar in nutritional indices and CD4-lymphocyte percentages. The 6-month probability of survival was 0.86 in
the active TB group, 0.94 in the past history of TB group and 0.89 in the non-TB group. 12-month survival probability for the same groups was 0.86, 0.86 and 0.88, respectively.CONCLUSION: HIV-infected children with active and previous TB who are started on ART have good outcomes that are
similar to those of children started on ART due to a non-TB diagnosis.