www.ijcmr.com International Journal of Contemporary Medical Research Volume 3 | Issue 11 | November 2016 | ICV (2015): 77.83 | ISSN (Online): 2393-915X; (Print): 2454-7379 3292 Comparison of Directly Observed Treatment and Self Adminitered Treatment for Management of Tuberculosis: A Clinical Study Gunjan Gupta 1 , Poonam Singh 1 ORIGINAL RESEARCH ABSTRACT Introduction: Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is the most common form of TB in humans occurring in over 80% of population. In this study, we have compared the two treatment option for the management of TB. Material and methods: This study included 120 patients diagnosed positive for tuberculosis. Patients were divided into 2 groups, group I and group II. Each group contained 60 patients. Antitubercular treatment (ATT) was given in both groups as per RNTCP. Group I was put on intermittent antitubercular treatment (DOT) under supervision of community health worker whereas in group II, antitubercular treatment (SAT) was given to patients for 2 months and was instructed to report every 6 weeks for smear and laboratory examination. Results: In group I, 60 patients were put on DOT and in group II, 60 patients were put on SAT. In group I, 45 patients showed positive smear, 9 showed negative smear while 6 were found positive for extrapulmonary TB. In group II, smear positive was seen in 30patients, smear negative was seen in 13 patients and 17 patients found positive for extrapulmonary TB. In group I, patients were cured (33), had completed treatment (10), lost follow up (11), failure (4) and died (2). In group II, patients were cured (15), had completed treatment (18), lost follow up (24), failure (1) and died (2). The difference among two groups was signiicant (P-0.01). In group I, the treatment outcome was 27 weeks and in group II, it was 32 weeks. The difference was non signiicant. 42 patients in group I and 32 patients in group II were successfully treated with DOT while 18 patients in group I and 28 patients in group II had adverse effects. The difference was signiicant (P-0.02). Conclusion: Author concluded that TB can be cured with DOT successfully. However, SAT can be an alternative treatment modality for TB in area where DOT is not possible. Keywords: Mycobacterium, Pulmonary, tuberculosis, INTRODUCTION Tuberculosis is a bacterial disease caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is the most common form of TB in humans occurring in over 80% of population. 1 It is a droplet infection and spreads when a person coughs, sneezes or speaks and minute droplet nuclei each contains 1-5 TB bacilli, which are able to remain airborne in any indoor space for up to 4 hours. The tubercle bacillus can survive in the dark for several hours although it is sensitive to direct sunlight. The infectious dose of tuberculosis is between 1 and 10 bacilli. A person with active TB can infect an average of 10-15 people each year if left untreated. 2 Of the global annual incidence of 9 million TB cases, India contributes to 2.3 million. In 2012 in Andhra Pradesh (AP), the estimated incidence of smear-positive tuberculosis cases was approximately 52 and 90 smear-positive cases per 100,000 population. Earlier this disease was considered to have high mortality and morbidity. However nowadays, different treatment modalities are available. 3 DOTS also known as intermittent, directly observed treatment, short-course is administered to tuberculosis patients nationwide, as per the guidelines of Revised National Tuberculosis Control Program (RNTCP). A DOTS strategy is recommended as the key to successful treatment outcomes for tuberculosis patients. However, internally displaced people in conlict zones in border areas and tribal populations sometimes can access health facilities and remain deicient of these services. In such cases, DOTS is not possible. In such cases, self administered therapy (SAT) is only option. 4 In this study, we have compared the two treatment option for the management of TB. MATERIAL AND METHODS This is a comparative study conducted on the patients suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis. Patient information regarding name, age, sex etc was recorded. This study included 120 patients diagnosed positive for tuberculosis. The conirmation of tuberculosis was done with sputum examination and montoux test. Patients were divided into 2 groups, group I and group II. Each group contained 60 patients. Antitubercular treatment (ATT) was given in both groups as per RNTCP. Group I was put on intermittent antitubercular treatment (DOT) under supervision of community health worker whereas in group II, antitubercular treatment (SAT) was given to patients for 2 months and was instructed to report every 6 weeks for smear and laboratory examination. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Results were tabulated with the help of Microsoft ofice 2007 and subjected to statistical analysis using descriptive statistics. RESULTS Table 1 shows that 2 groups were made. In group I, 60 patients were put on DOT and in group II, 60 patients were put on SAT. Category of TB was done in Figure 1. In group I, 45 patients showed positive smear, 9 showed negative smear while 6 were found positive for extrapulmonary TB. In group II, smear positive was seen in 30patients, smear negative was seen in 13 patients and 17 patients found positive for extrapulmonary TB. 1 Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, TS Mishra Medical College, Lucknow, UP, India Corresponding author: Dr Gunjan Gupta, Associate Professor, Department of Pathology, TS Mishra Medical College, Lucknow, UP, India How to cite this article: Gunjan Gupta, Poonam Singh. Comparison of directly observed treatment and self adminitered treatment for management of tuberculosis: a clinical study. International Journal of Contemporary Medical Research 2016;3(11):3292-3294.