Outcomes of standard and tailored anti-tuberculosis regimens in patients with tuberculous pleural effusion

In an era of increasing concerns about drug resistance, there are limited data on treatment outcomes and recurrence rates after standard short-course anti-tuberculosis treatment in patients with culture-negative tuberculous pleural effusion (TPE).

To compare treatment outcomes and recurrence rates between a standard anti-tuberculosis regimen with negative culture and unavailable drug susceptibility testing (DST) data, and a tailored anti-tuberculosis regimen based on individual DST data.

We analysed the data of all patients with TPE from the TB registry database at Kyungpook National University Hospital, South Korea, during 2008-2012. The study population was divided into two groups according to regimen.

Standard and tailored anti-tuberculosis regimens were administered to respectively 124 and 146 patients with TPE. Drug resistance was detected in 10% of patients with TPE, about a quarter of whom were multidrug-resistant. The treatment completion rate was not significantly different between the two groups (91% vs. 93%). During a median 20-month follow-up, the recurrence rate was also similar in both groups (1% vs.1%).

Despite limited statistical power, these preliminary results support the hypothesis that immunocompetent patients with culture-negative TPE can be appropriately managed with a standard short-course anti-tuberculosis regimen, even in this era of increasing concerns about drug resistance.