MMWR. Recommendations and reports : Morbidity and mortality weekly report. Recommendations and reports
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Practice Guideline
Provisional CDC guidelines for the use and safety monitoring of bedaquiline fumarate (Sirturo) for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis.
Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR TB) is caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that is resistant to at least isoniazid and rifampin, the two most effective of the four first-line TB drugs (the other two drugs being ethambutol and pyrazinamide). MDR TB includes the subcategory of extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR TB), which is MDR TB with additional resistance to any fluoroquinolone and to at least one of three injectable anti-TB drugs (i.e., kanamycin, capreomycin, or amikacin). MDR TB is difficult to cure, requiring 18-24 months of treatment after sputum culture conversion with a regimen that consists of four to six medications with toxic side effects, and carries a mortality risk greater than that of drug-susceptible TB. ⋯ However, further study is required before routine use of bedaquiline can be recommended in these populations. A registry for persons treated with bedaquiline is being implemented by Janssen Therapeutics to track patient outcomes, adverse reactions, laboratory testing results (e.g., diagnosis, drug susceptibility, and development of drug resistance), use of concomitant medications, and presence of other comorbid conditions. Suspected adverse reactions (i.e., any adverse event for which there is a reasonable possibility that the drug caused the adverse event) and serious adverse events (i.e., any adverse event that results in an outcome such as death, hospitalization, permanent disability, or a life-threatening situation) should be reported to Janssen Therapeutics at telephone 1-800-526-7736, to FDA at telephone 1-800-332-1088 or at http://www.fda.gov/medwatch, and to CDC's Emergency Operations Center at telephone 1-770-488-7100.