Tuberculosis recurrence over a 7-year follow-up period in successfully treated patients in a routine program setting in China: a prospective longitudinal study

Objectives: To determine tuberculosis (TB) recurrence in previously successfully treated patients in a routine program setting and baseline characteristics associated with TB recurrence. Methods: A prospective longitudinal study in Jiangxi Province, China. Patients, >= 14 years old, were consecutively registered and were followed up for seven years to assess TB recurrence against a patients' individual baseline data that had been entered into a database at TB registration. Results: There were 800 TB patients registered at baseline, and 634 (79.2%) of them completed antiTB treatments. Fifty-nine (9.3%) died, and 21 (3.3%) were lost to follow-up over the follow-up period. There were 96 patients with recurrent episodes (total incidence 15.2% or annual incidence 2,200/100,000). Of the recurrent cases, 53 (55.2%) happened within 2-year after completion of anti-TB treatments. After controlling confounding factors, the risk of TB recurrence was significantly higher in the age range 34-73 years (P<0.01) and current smokers (P<0.01). Conclusions: Overall recurrence rate among previously treated TB patients was much higher than the initial incidence in the same population (61-98/100,000) and settings with similar TB incidence. TB programs should consider closer monitoring of these patients for early detection of recurrence. Particular attention should be given to those between 34-73 years and those who use tobacco products. (C) 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of International Society for Infectious Diseases.

Automated summary

The study conducted in Jiangxi Province, China, found a significantly higher recurrence rate among previously successfully treated TB patients, especially in the age range of 34-73 years and among current smokers.