Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28152986›Full record

ArticleBMC infectious diseases2017

Treatment outcomes of fixed-dose combination versus separate tablet regimens in pulmonary tuberculosis patients with or without diabetes in Qatar.

Mohammad H Al-Shaer, Hanine Mansour, Hazem Elewa, Pascale Salameh, Fatima Iqbal

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMC infectious diseases, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.0field-weighted citation impact, top 27% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Review
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 5 institutions in 3 countries.

Mohammad H Al-ShaerDepartment of Pharmacy, Al Wakra Hospital - Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
Hanine MansourSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, P.O Box 36-S 23, Byblos, Lebanon. hanine.mansour@lau.edu.lb.
Hazem ElewaCollege of Pharmacy, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar.
Pascale SalamehSchool of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, P.O Box 36-S 23, Byblos, Lebanon.
Fatima IqbalDepartment of Pharmacy, Rumailah Hospital - Hamad Medical Corporation, Doha, Qatar.
American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy · USHamad Medical Corporation · QALebanese American University · LBLebanese University · LBQatar University · QA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTuberculosis is considered the second most common cause of death due to infectious agent. The currently preferred regimen for treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, which has been used either as separate tablets (ST) or as fixed-dose combination (FDC). To date, no studies have compared both regimens in Qatar. We aim to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of FDC and ST regimen for treating PTB, in addition to comparing safety and efficacy of FDC and ST regimens in patients with diabetes treated for TB.

methodsA retrospective observational study was conducted in two general hospitals in Qatar. Patients diagnosed with PTB received anti-tuberculosis medications (either as FDC or ST) administered by the nurse. Sputum smears were tested weekly. We assessed the time to negative sputum smear and incidence of adverse events among FDC and ST groups.

resultsThe study included 148 patients. FDC was used in 90 patients (61%). Effectiveness was not different between FDC and ST regimens as shown by mean time to sputum conversion (29.9 ± 18.3 vs. 35.6 ± 23 days, p = 0.12). Similarly, there was no difference in the incidence of adverse events, except for visual one that was higher in ST group. Among the 33 diabetic patients, 19 received the FDC and had faster sputum conversion compared to those who received ST (31 ± 12 vs. 49.4 ± 30.9 days, p = 0.05). Overall, diabetic patients needed longer time for sputum conversion and had more hepatotoxic and gastric adverse events compared to non-diabetics.

conclusionST group had higher visual side effects compared to FDC. FDC may be more effective in diabetic patients; however, further studies are required to confirm such finding.

Indexed as

Diabetes ComplicationsHospitals, GeneralAdultAntitubercular AgentsDose-Response Relationship, DrugDrug-Related Side Effects and Adverse ReactionsDrug Therapy, CombinationEthambutolFemaleHumansIsoniazidMalePyrazinamideQatarRetrospective StudiesRifampinAntitubercular AgentsEthambutolIsoniazidPyrazinamideRifampinTabletsEffectivenessFixed-dosePulmonary tuberculosisSafetySeparate tablets

Identifiers

PMID28152986
PMCPMC5290647
OpenAlexW2585826770

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.