Adverse event and treatment completion rates of a 12-dose weekly isoniazid and rifapentine course for South Korean healthcare workers.

Purpose: We investigated the adverse events (AEs) and treatment completion rates of a 3 month course of once-weekly isoniazid and rifapentine (3H(1)P(1)) in South Korean health care workers (HCWs) with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI). Methods: HCWs who were candidates for LTBI treatment were enrolled from two tertiary referral centers between December 2016 and October 2017. From December 2016 through March 2017, HCWs who agreed were treated with the 3H(1)P(1) regimen (3H(1)P(1) group). Their compliance and AEs were prospectively collected. From April 2017 onward, HCWs who required LTBI treatment received 3 months of isoniazid plus rifampin (3HR group), and their medical records were retrospectively reviewed. Results: During the study period, 406 HCWs were treated, 226 (55.7%) in the 3H(1)P(1) group, and 180 (44.3%) in the 3HR group. The number of subjects with AEs was significantly greater in the 3H(1)P(1) group (75.2% vs 56.7%, P < 0.001), in particular a flu-like syndrome (19.0% vs. 0%, P < 0.001). However, hepatotoxicity occurred less frequently in those receiving 3H(1)P(1) (7.5% vs. 20.0%, P < 0.001). Per protocol definition, anaphylaxis developed in 1.8% of the 3H(1)P(1) group. The overall treatment completion rate was greater in the 3H(1)P(1) group (92.9% vs 86.7%, P = 0.036). Conclusions: The 3H(1)P(1) regimen had a higher treatment completion rate and lower hepatotoxicity compared with the 3HR regimen. However, it resulted in a higher rate of flu-like syndromes. Additionally, a few subjects had anaphylaxis, although there were no fatalities.