Determinants of Default from Pulmonary Tuberculosis Treatment in Kuwait
Table 4
Distribution of defaulters by time of default and bacteriological status.
Start time of treatment
Smear and culture positive
Smear positive
Culture positive
Smear and culture negative
Total
No treatment
1 (2.3)
0 (0.0)
2 (5.6)
0 (0.0)
3 (2.7)
<2 weeks
3 (7.0)
4 (25.0)
3 (8.3)
2 (13.3)
12 (10.9)
2 weeks–2 months
16 (37.2)
9 (56.3)
19 (52.8)
3 (20.0)
47 (42.7)
2 weeks–4 months
10 (23.3)
2 (12.5)
8 (22.2)
3 (20.0)
23 (20.9)
>4 months
13 (30.2)
1 (6.2)
4 (11.1)
7 (46.7)
25 (22.8)
Total
43 (39.1)
16 (14.6)
36 (32.7)
15 (13.6)
110 (100.0)
Approximately 56% of patients who defaulted did so within the first 2 months of treatment. Of the 110 patients who defaulted, 95 (86.4%) were still bacteriologically positive (43 smear and culture positive, 16 smear positive, and 36 culture positive only) at the time of default.
