The Trend and Predictors for Tuberculosis Treatment Success Among Children in Malaysia Using MyTB Version 2.1 Database Over Five Years

Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) among children remains a significant public health problem in many parts of the world. This study aimed to determine the trends and predictors of TB treatment success among children in Malaysia.   

Methodology A cross-sectional study design using secondary data from MyTB version 2.1, a national TB surveillance database was conducted. R version 3.6.1 was utilized to perform the descriptive analysis and multivariable logistic regression model.    

Results The study analysed a total of 3550 registered TB cases among children from 2013 to 2017. Treatment success rate among children in Malaysia was 87.1% in 2013; however, the trend plateaued between 90.1 to 91.4% from 2014 until 2017. The predictors for TB treatment success were being Malaysian citizens, being the children without HIV co-infection,  underwent treatment in public clinics or private facilities, chest X-ray grading of no lesion or minimal lesion. Children with BCG scars and being in older age group were also the positive predictors for TB treatment success. Children who were diagnosed with sputum-positive  pulmonary TB  or extrapulmonary TB were negatively associated with TB treatment success among children. The model can predict 73.39 % (AUC 95% CI: 70.15, 77.63) of the TB treatment outcome correctly according to the above predictors.   

Discussion/ Conclusion The trend of TB treatment success rate  among children plateaued at 90%. This study concluded that treatment success was positively associated with children who were Malaysian citizens in the mild phase of TB disease.

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