DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2016.v04i03.027

Pages: 759-761

Noncompliance is one of the major issues with the treatment of tuberculosis (TB), which can lead to treatment failure. A short-course of chemotherapy as recommended by World Health Organization under the umbrella term of Directly Observed Treatment Short Course (DOTS) therapy seems to be effective. The main aim in present study was done to evaluate the efficacy of short term intermittent chemotherapy in DOTS regimen in patients with extra spinal osteoarticular TB. A prospective study was performed including 20 patients with extra spinal osteoarticular TB between October 2008 to June 2010 in the Department of Orthopedics, DDU Hospital, and Delhi. All the patients were given the DOTS regime as recommended by WHO and followed up at intervals of one month during the treatment for assessing the clinical improvement and compliance of the patient. The results in present study, there were 85% males and 15% were females. 40 % were students followed by the labourer (20%). Hip (50%) was the most commonly involved joint followed by short bones of hand and foot (20%). All (100%) patients had an elevated ESR at the time of presentation. Eighty percent patients had shown increase in weight at the end of 6 month of treatment. All patients of extra spinal osteoarticular TB showed improvement. Treatment was found sufficient for 80% of the patients. In 20% cases treatment duration was extended. In discussion the Short term intermittent chemotherapy in DOTS regimen was optimum for the treatment of extra spinal osteoarticular TB and was associated with good compliance.