AUTHOR=Chen Qiang , Peng Linfeng , Xiong Guangchu , Peng Yiping , Luo Dong , Zou Lijin , Chen Kaisen 

TITLE=Recurrence Is a Noticeable Cause of Rifampicin-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis in the Elderly Population in Jiangxi, China

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=7

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00182

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2019.00182

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=<p><bold>Setting:</bold> Rifampicin-resistant tuberculosis (RR-TB) in elderly people in Jiangxi Province, China.</p><p><bold>Objective:</bold> To investigate the incidence of RR-TB and risk factors in elderly people within a hospital setting in China.</p><p><bold>Design:</bold> Retrospective cohort study.</p><p><bold>Methods:</bold> A comparative study was performed to analyze RR-TB and rifampicin-susceptible TB (RS-TB). The 15-locus mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit-variable number of tandem repeats (MIRU-VNTR) method was used to distinguish between relapse and reinfection.</p><p><bold>Results:</bold> Twenty-three recurrent cases occurred in 151 elderly patients with RR-TB, and 24 recurrent cases occurred in 466 elderly patients with RS-TB during this period. TB recurrence was significantly different in the RR-TB and RS-TB groups (OR = 0.35, 95% CI: 0.14–0.88; χ<sup>2</sup> = 5.28, <italic>P</italic> = 0.03). Comparing the risk factors for RR-TB and RS-TB, we found that educational level, age, and pulmonary cavity were inextricably linked to RR-TB in elderly patients. Furthermore, pulmonary cavity, HIV status, and alcohol consumption were associated with recurrence in elderly RR-TB patients.</p><p><bold>Conclusions:</bold> Recurrence is an important source of RR-TB in the elderly population. It is necessary to promptly treat tuberculosis patients, prevent the spread of AIDS, and reduce alcohol intake to control recurrent RR-TB in the elderly population.</p>