Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 27, 2025

Validated LC-MS/MS Panel for Quantifying 11 Drug-Resistant TB Medications in Small Hair Samples
Published on: May 19, 2020
Patient Determinants and Effects on Adherence of Adverse Drug Reactions to Tuberculosis Treatment: A Prospective
Christine A Tzelios1, Samantha Malatesta2, Tara Carney3,4
1Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Background:
Adverse drug reactions (ADRs) to tuberculosis (TB) medications make treatment completion challenging. We investigated the impact of alcohol, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and other patient determinants on ADRs and treatment adherence.
Methods:
We administered monthly ADR questionnaires to participants with TB in Worcester, South Africa. Adherence was defined as the proportion of observed doses on days when directly observed therapy was attempted. We used regression modeling to identify associations between age, sex, HIV status, alcohol, and smoked substance use with ADRs and adherence.
Results:
Of 286 participants, 70 (24.5%) had moderate alcohol use (phosphatidylethanol [PEth], 20-200 ng/mL), 81 (28.3%) had heavy alcohol use (PEth, >200 ng/mL), and 81 (28.3%) had HIV. A total of 156 (54.5%) reported ≥1 ADR, with maximum severity of moderate (75.6%) or mild (22.4%). Alcohol use and HIV were not associated with ADRs. The presence of ≥1 comorbidity compared with none was associated with a 46% increase in the risk of ADRs (P = .01). Nearly 70% of participants had ≥80% adherence. Among participants with moderate or severe ADRs, HIV with CD4 count <200 cells/µL compared with no HIV (rate ratio = 1.71, P = .01), moderate or severe alcohol use compared with low (rate ratio = 1.55, P = .01 and rate ratio = 1.69, P = .01), and smoked substance use compared with none (rate ratio = 1.37, P = .04) were associated with increased missed doses.
Conclusions:
Half of participants on TB treatment experienced ADRs, but most remained adherent to treatment. Among participants with moderate or severe ADRs, those with poorly controlled HIV, alcohol use, or smoked substance use had lower adherence.
Related Concept Videos
Pulmonary Tuberculosis V
Latent tuberculosis infection occurs when TB bacteria are present in a person's body, but are not causing illness or symptoms. It is not contagious, and preventive treatment is crucial to avoid the...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis I
Causative Organism
The primary infectious agent causing tuberculosis is Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a slow-growing, acid-fast, aerobic rod that exhibits sensitivity to heat and ultraviolet light. Instances of Mycobacterium bovis and Mycobacterium avium contributing to the development of TB infection are rare.
Mode of...
Pulmonary Tuberculosis IV
Several diagnostic approaches are used to detect TB. The conventional method is the Tuberculin Skin Test (TST), also known as the Mantoux test. However, this method has...
Drug Therapy
Antianxiety Medications
Factors Affecting Protein-Drug Binding: Patient-Related Factors
Age stands as a key determinant in protein-drug binding. Neonates, characterized by low albumin content, experience heightened concentrations of unbound drugs such as phenytoin and...
Pharmacovigilance
This process, termed pharmacovigilance, aims to detect, evaluate, and minimize harmful effects related to medication use. The data collection for pharmacovigilance depends on spontaneous reporting systems, where healthcare professionals or patients voluntarily report suspected ADRs.
In some cases, there...

