Acceptability and adherence to Isoniazid preventive therapy in HIV-infected patients clinically screened for latent tuberculosis in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

• Published in: BMC infectious diseases 2015-08, Vol.15 (1), p.368-368, Article 368
• Main Authors: Shayo, Grace A, Moshiro, Candida, Aboud, Said, Bakari, Muhammad, Mugusi, Ferdinand M
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Antiretroviral Therapy, Highly Active; Antitubercular Agents - administration & dosage; Antitubercular Agents - therapeutic use; Female; Health aspects; Highly active antiretroviral therapy; HIV Infections - complications; HIV Infections - drug therapy; Humans; Isoniazid - administration & dosage; Isoniazid - therapeutic use; Latent Tuberculosis - complications; Latent Tuberculosis - drug therapy; Male; Medical research; Medical screening; Medicine, Experimental; Middle Aged; Patient Compliance; Tanzania; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1471-2334; 1471-2334
• DOI: 10.1186/s12879-015-1085-7

Proper adherence to isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) may depend upon the results of tuberculosis (TB) screening test and patients' understanding of their risk of developing active TB. We conducted a study to assess the acceptability, adherence and completion profile of IPT among HIV-infected patients who were clinically screened for latent TB Infection (LTBI). A multicenter observational study was conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania between February 2012 and March 2014. HIV-infected patients 10 years or older were clinically screened using a validated symptom-based screening tool to rule out active TB. Patients found to have no symptoms in the screening tool were given 300 mg of isoniazid (INH) daily for 6 months. Patients were followed up monthly at the National and Municipal hospital HIV clinics for INH refill and assessment of treatment adherence. Adherence was defined as consumption of 90 % or more of the monthly prescription of INH. All 1303 invited patients agreed to participate in the study. Of 1303 invited HIV-infected patients, 1283 (98.5 %) were recruited into the study. Twenty eight (2.2 %) did not complete treatment. Those who did not complete the treatment were exclusively adults aged 18 years or older, p = 0.302. The overall mean (±SD) adherence was 98.9 % (±2.9). Adherence level among children aged