Table 2.
Treatment regimen and outcomes of 237 patients with Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease
| Categories | Variables | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Drug use | Macrolide | 237 (100.0%) |
| Duration, months | 18.6 (16.3–24.3) | |
| Ethambutol | 224 (94.5%) | |
| Maintenance (≥6 months) | 180 (80.4%) | |
| Duration, for patients with maintenance, months | 18.0 (12.1–22.0) | |
| Duration, for patients without maintenance, months | 1.2 (0.0–3.2) | |
| Rifampicin | 179 (75.9%) | |
| Maintenance (≥6 months) | 154 (86.0%) | |
| Duration, for patients with maintenance, months | 18.7 (16.7–24.3) | |
| Duration, for patients without maintenance, months | 0.0 (0.0–0.5) | |
| Outcomes | Culture conversiona | 190/237 (80.2%) |
| Microbiological cureb | 129/177 (72.9%) | |
| Treatment failurec | 66/204 (32.4%) | |
| Recurrenced | 16/129 (12.4%) |
Values are presented as number (percentage) or median (interquartile range)
aAt least three consecutive negative results for sputum culture after the start of treatment. The first day of a negative result was considered the date of culture conversion
bMaintenance of negative culture conversion until the end of treatment. Assessed among patients who stopped taking antibiotics
cRe-emergence of multiple positive cultures or persistence with the causative species from respiratory samples after ≥12 months of antimycobacterial treatment, while the patient is still on treatment. Assessed among patients with ≥12 months of antimycobacterial treatment
dThe re-emergence of at least 2 positive cultures with the same species from sputum after cessation of antimycobacterial treatment. Assessed among patients with microbiological cure