Cohort analyses of the treatment of smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients under programme conditions in Korea, 1983-1994.

SETTING

Cohort analyses of the results of sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients registered in health centres in Korea under programme conditions from 1983 to 1994.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the overall treatment results and their annual changing trend.

DESIGN

Retrospective sample surveys of the nationwide treatment results of registered new smear-positive and retreatment patients.

RESULTS

The numbers of registered smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis patients have decreased steadily, from over 35000 in 1983 to about 14000 in 1994. Over 90% of health centres, and 60-80% of registered patients, were covered in the cohort analyses. The overall cure rate for all patients was 56% in 1983; this improved to around 80% in the last three years of the period studied, owing to increased use of short-course chemotherapy. Over 5000 patients per year required retreatment during the first four years; this number decreased steadily to less than 700 in 1994, due to the reduction in initial treatment failures.

CONCLUSION

The overall treatment results have improved significantly in Korea, due to the application of short-course chemotherapy.