Reported childhood tuberculosis treatment outcomes, Gaborone and Francistown, Botswana, 1998-2002

Botswana.

To estimate frequencies of tuberculosis (TB) treatment outcomes, assess the validity of reported treatment outcomes, and identify risk factors for death during TB treatment among children aged <15 years during 1998-2002.

We examined TB treatment outcome frequencies using the national Electronic TB Registry (ETR) data. Treatment and medical records were reviewed to calculate predictive values (PV) for outcomes recorded in the ETR. We interviewed parents of children treated for TB and assessed risk factors for death during treatment via case-control study.

Of 5483 patients, 3646 (67%) were cured or completed treatment and 577 (10.5%) died during treatment. The PV for ETR was 76% for death and 97% for cured or completed treatment. We interviewed parents of 91 children who died during treatment and 220 children who completed treatment. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status was unknown for 76% of the children and 54% of the parents. Parent-reported adverse effects to anti-tuberculosis medication (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 4.9, 95% confidence limit [CL] 2.2-9.2), and lower patient age (aOR 2.2, 95%CL 1.2-4.2) were associated with death during treatment.

TB control programs in Botswana should assess for potential adverse effects of anti-tuberculosis medication and expand HIV testing among children with TB and their parents.