Impact of COVID-19 pandemic and country of origin on TB treatment outcome in Greece
Introduction Tuberculosis (TB) remains a cause of morbidity and mortality in Greece. The aim of this study was to assess TB treatment outcome (based on the new WHO definitions) according to date of diagnosis (before or during the COVID-19 pandemic) and country of origin. Positive outcome was defined...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Publishing
2024-02-01
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| Series: | Pneumon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.pneumon.org/Impact-of-COVID-19-pandemic-and-country-of-origin-on-nTB-treatment-outcome-in-Greece,178470,0,2.html |
| Summary: | Introduction
Tuberculosis (TB) remains a cause of morbidity and mortality
in Greece. The aim of this study was to assess TB treatment outcome (based
on the new WHO definitions) according to date of diagnosis (before or during
the COVID-19 pandemic) and country of origin. Positive outcome was defined
as cure and completion of treatment, and negative outcome as lost to followup, failure or not evaluated. Death was assessed separately.
Methods
Patients registered at the Department of Pulmonary Medicine,
Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, during the period 2018–2021,
were retrospectively studied.
Results
A total of 102 patients (51 before and 51 during the pandemic),
with mean age 44.8 ± 21.9 years, were included; 15 were women and 87
men, 45 were Greeks, 12 other Europeans, and 45 non-Europeans. Before the
pandemic, 32 patients (62.8%) had positive outcome, 15 (29.4%) negative,
and 4 (7.8%) died. During the pandemic, positive outcome was noted in 28
(54.9%), negative in 20 (39.2%), and 3 patients (5.9%) died (p=0.66). Greeks
had a positive outcome rate of 66.7%, other Europeans 83.3%, and nonEuropeans 44.4%. Negative outcome rate among patients was: 17.8% for
Greeks, 16.7% for other Europeans, and 55.6% for non-Europeans (p<0.001).
Greeks had the highest mortality rate (15.6%), with both other groups having
zero deaths.
Conclusions
The pandemic did not affect significantly treatment
outcomes, as members of staff worked exclusively on TB. Country of origin
significantly affected outcome, with non-European patients having the highest
negative outcome rate. This observation can be attributed to the lack of social
and/or familial support. |
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| ISSN: | 1105-848X 1791-4914 |