The Year of 2004 Treatment Results of Soldier Patients with Tuberculosis

BACKGROUND: To present extensively the serial of soldier cases with tuberculosis (TB) for the year of 2004 in the Turkish Armed Forces (TAF) which is accepted as a risk group and to compare the results with other studies. METHODS: In this study, data was retrospectively analyzed for soldier patients diagnosed with tuberculosis (TB) in our hospital by 2004. Our hospital is the greatest TB treatment center in TAF. Microscopical examination was done in all cases. The proper treatment was begun in all patients and they were followed during next 6-12 months. At the end of that period, treatment results were assessed. RESULTS: Two hundred thirty six cases with TB were found by the year of 2004. One hundred sixty of these cases (83,3%) were pulmonary TB (PTB) and 56 of them were (16,7%) extra pulmonary TB (EPTB). It was discovered that 216 of our cases (91,5%) were new and 20 of them were (8,5%) previous cases. Twenty PTB patients had EPTB at the same time. Fifty two of total 56 EPTB cases (92,9%) were pleural TB. Of 4 patients (7,1%) had the other organs TB. Smear positive and smear negative cases numbers were 119 (%66,1), 61 (%33,9) respectively. In smear positive 119 cases, treatment outcomes were classified as follows: 95 cases (79.8%) were cured, 9 patients (7,6%) were treatment completion. Treatment success was managed in total 104 cases (87,4%). Three of smear positive patients (2,5%) were treatment failure, 9 cases (7,6%) were transfer out and 3 (2,5%) was dead. CONCLUSION: Our cure results in smear positive patients are close to the rate of 85% targeted by WHO. In addition, we have fairly satisfied level in treatment success. [TAF Prev Med Bull. 2008; 7(1): 7-14]