THERAPEUTIC OUTCOMES IN TUBERCULOSIS PATIENTS WITH MULTIDRUG- RESISTANCE

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is the biggest health concerns in the world today, due to its restricted and expensive treatment options. The severity and burden of MDR-TB differ significantly from nation to nation & region to region. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) most recent study, there are approximately 4,50,000 MDR-TB cases worldwide, with the majority occurring in China, India, Eastern Europeans and Central Asian Countries. MDR-TB is tuberculosis which is resistant to atleast isoniazid & rifampicin, the two most potent anti-TB drugs. Using second line medications, MDR-TB can be managed and cured. However, there are few choices for second line therapy, and requires prolonged chemotherapy(lasting at least 9 months & sometimes up to 20 months), using pricey and toxic drugs. The treatment is challenging for MDR-TB, as it requires administration of at least four antitubercular medications, many of which are held with frequent adverse reactions. Drugs should be selected based on the past medication history, known resistance patterns, and drug- susceptibility testing (DST) data, if available.