Assessment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) treatment outcomes in Sudan; findings and implications

Background: Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis (MDR-TB) has an appreicable socioeconomic impact and threatens global public health leading to initiatives across countries to address this. There is a need to assess treatment outcomes of MDR-TB and predictors of poor treatment outcomes in Sudan given current high prevalence of resistance. Methods: Combined retrospective and prospective cohort study at Abu-Anga hospital (TB specialized hospital in Sudan). All patients with MDR-TB between 2013-2017 were targeted and all confirmed MDR-TB cases received an 18-month standardized regimen in two phases: 8-month intensive and 10-month continuation phase. Results: 156 patients were recruited as having good records, 117 (75%) were male, and 152 (97.4%) had pulmonary TB (PTB). Patients were followed for a median of 18 months and a total of 2108 person-months. Overall success was 63.5% (cure or completed treatment) and the mortality rate was 14.1%. Rural residency (P <0.05) and relapsing on previous treatments (P