Diseases
Real-World Outcomes of Ambulatory Drug-Susceptible Tuberculosis Management During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Romania
By Ioana Munteanu, Alexandru Stoichiță, Silviu Gabriel Vlăsceanu and 8 others.
Abstract
Background
Romania continues to experience one of the highest tuberculosis (TB) burdens in the European Union/European Economic Area. During the COVID-19 pandemic, reduced inpatient capacity accelerated the use of ambulatory care for patients with drug-susceptible tuberculosis (DS-TB). This study evaluated treatment outcomes, outcome ascertainment, hospitalization requirements, and factors associated with unfavorable outcomes among patients managed through ambulatory TB services.
Methods
We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of adults with pulmonary or extrapulmonary DS-TB managed through ambulatory tuberculosis dispensaries affiliated with the “Marius Nasta” Institute of Pneumophthisiology, Bucharest, Romania, between January 2020 and December 2022. Treatment outcomes were defined according to World Health Organization criteria. Factors associated with unfavorable outcome were assessed using Firth penalized-likelihood logistic regression. Hospitalization during treatment was analyzed as a secondary outcome.