Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Ho Chi Minh City: a retrospective study of 2,267 cases from 2011 to 2015

Background Multidrug resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) remains a serious public health problem with poor treatment outcome. Predictors of poor outcomes vary in different health-care settings. Vietnam is among the 30 countries with high burden of MDR-TB. We aim to describe demographic characteristics and identify risk factors for poor outcome of MDR-TB in Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC), the most populous city in Vietnam. Methods This retrospective study included 2,267 patients who initiated MDR-TB treatment from 2011 to 2015 in HCMC. Treatment outcomes were available in 2,241 patients. Data was collected from standardized paper-based treatment cards and electronic records. Statistical analysis was performed using R program. Results Among 2,267 eligible cases, 60.2% were failure of category I or II regimen, 57.7% were underweight, 30.2% had diabetes mellitus and 9.6% were HIV positive. Notification rate increased 24.7% from 2011 to 2015.Treatment success rate was 73.3%. Risk factors for poor treatment outcome included HIV co-infection (odds ratio (OR): 2.92), advanced age (OR: 1.47 for every increase of 5 years for patients older than 60), having history of MDR-TB treatment (OR: 5.65), sputum smear grade scanty and 1+ (OR: 1.48), smear grade 2+ or 3+ (OR: 2.07), low BMI (OR: 0.84 for every increase of 1kg/m2 of BMI for patients with BMI<21). Conclusion Our study describes the increasing burden of MDR-TB in HCMC and the need for better drug resistance screening for all TB patients. Patients with HIV, high smear grade, malnutrition and history of previous MDR-TB treatment should receive additional care.