The international journal of tuberculosis and lung disease : the official journal of the International Union against Tuberculosis and Lung Disease
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · Sep 2012
(18)F-FDG PET/CT in tuberculosis: an early non-invasive marker of therapeutic response.
To evaluate the potential of (18)F-fluoro-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography ((18)F-FDG PET/CT) for early therapeutic intervention in patients with probable or confirmed tuberculosis (TB). ⋯ (18)F-FDG PET/CT allows an easy evaluation of early therapeutic response in patients with TB, particularly extra-pulmonary TB.
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · Sep 2012
Predictors of recurrence of multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis.
To assess the treatment outcome of the first Green Light Committee (GLC) approved countrywide management of multidrug-resistant (MDR-) and extensively drug-resistant tuberculosis (XDR-TB) in Estonia and to evaluate risk factors contributing to TB recurrence over 8 years of follow-up. ⋯ The internationally recommended Category IV treatment regimens are sufficiently effective to cure 75% of adherent MDR- and XDR-TB patients. A history of previous treatment, resistance to all injectable agents and resistance to a greater number of drugs increase the recurrence of MDR- and XDR-TB.
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Int. J. Tuberc. Lung Dis. · Sep 2012
Epidemiology of smear-negative pulmonary tuberculosis in the United States, 1993-2008.
Smear-negative tuberculosis (TB) is difficult to diagnose and has been associated with poor treatment outcomes and excessive mortality, particularly in high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevalent settings. However, few studies have used mycobacterial culture to rigorously confirm all smear-negative TB cases in a population-based cohort. ⋯ Smear-negative TB represents a large proportion of TB cases in the United States, and occurs more often among persons in groups more likely to undergo TB screening. The lower mortality may indicate earlier TB detection, and underscores the need for continued vigilance in screening of high-risk persons.