[Practical issues in the management of tuberculosis disease]

Tuberculosis disease warrants standard therapeutic management as detailed in a guide published by the High Authority for Health (HAS) following the publication of the Public Health Law in 2004.

The medical services of the régime social des indépendants (RSI) carried out a national survey by targeting patients who, in 2011, were reimbursed for tuberculosis treatment or were admitted for long-term tuberculosis disease. Their physicians were contacted to detail the care pathway and treatment they had received.

A total of 148 tuberculosis disease patients were enrolled, of whom 71.6% had respiratory localization of their disease. The diagnosis was made in healthcare institutions in 84.5% of cases. Standard treatment (phases 1 and 2) was used in 30.1% of cases. The recommended quadruple therapy was given in 55.2% of treatments in phase 1 and in accordance with the time recommended in 62.9% of cases. Phase 2 was the recommended two drugs combination therapy 80.4% of the time with the treatment duration respected in 51.0% of treatments. The difference from standard treatment was explained by the detection of health or social events in only 39.0% of cases.

This survey allows us to highlight a relative lack of knowledge of standard treatment as recommended by the HAS.