Treatment Outcomes in Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis: A Retrospective Cohort Study from Tbilisi, Georgia

Background: Treating drug-resistant tuberculosis was particularly complex for patients who also have comorbid conditions or extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Aim: The study's objective is to investigate the impact of various demographics, clinical variables, and treatment regimens on treatment outcomes in patients with drug-resistant tuberculosis. Methods: A retrospective cohort study based on data collected from 595 DR-TB patients aged ≥15 years treated at the NCTLD in Tbilisi, Georgia, from 2019 to 2021. Inclusion criteria involved patients with microbiologically verified DR-TB who had complete treatment outcome records. Patients under the age of 15 or without verified treatment outcomes were excluded from the study. Results: Successful treatment outcomes were seen in new TB cases, those without the extra-pulmonary TB, and those without Delamanid included in their treatment. A positive association was also established with the administration of Levofloxacin and Bedaquiline. Conclusion: Improved treatment outcomes were noted in newly diagnosed pulmonary TB patients who did not undergo treatment with Delamanid. These findings highlight the importance of early diagnosis and the careful tailoring of treatment strategies to address drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) effectively.