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Abstract

Objectives: To know the frequency of relapse in patients of tuberculosis whocompleted the total therapy but in interrupted course. Study Design: Prospective Cohort study.Place and duration of study: Outpatient and Inpatient units of Chest and TB ward Bahawal-Victoria Hospital Bahawalpur. Methodology: Patient showing characteristics according toWHO standard were included in the study i.e. clinical features and radiographic abnormalitiesconsistent with active pulmonary tuberculosis; and no response to a course of broad-spectrumantibiotics regarding signs and symptoms. Also included were those with clinical featuresconsistent with tuberculosis with Mycobacterium smear and culture positive or smear positiveor culture positive. Such patients were interviewed and case file/charts were reviewed. Specificthings looked were their prior antituberculous therapy, number of days antituberculous therapyinterrupted, age, and gender. All others with diabetes mellitus, smokers, alcoholic were excludedfrom the study. Results: There were total 67 patients enrolled in the study and among them 34(50.7%) males and 33 (49.3%) females. Male age ranges 26-75 years(mean 46.20+ SD 12.46)and female age range 13-70 years (mean 40.42+SD 13.32) Among these relapse cases 6 (9%)patients had interrupted ATT during their prior therapy for a period ranged 2-90 days (P-value<0.001). Among these 5 (83%) were females and 1 was male. Conclusion: Interrupted ATTcaries significant risk for future relapse of tuberculosis.