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. 2019 Dec 12;2019(12):CD012918. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012918.pub2

1. Summary of outcomes in included studies.

Study ID
(Acronym)
Gillespie 2014
(REMoxTB)
Jawahar 2013 Jindani 2014
(RIFAQUIN)
Merle 2014
(OFLOTUB)
Velayutham 2014
Setting Multiple sites in Africa (Kenya, South Africa, Tanzania, Zambia), Asia (China, India, Malaysia Thailand), Latin America (Mexico) 6 sites in 2 cities in India 6 cities in 4 countries in Africa (Botswana, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe) 5 countries in Africa (Benin, Guinea, Kenya, Senegal, South Africa) 2 cities in India
Participants
Number randomized 1931 429 827 1836 801
Age Adults (> 18 years) Adults (> 18 years) Adults (> 18 years) Adults (18 to 65 years) Adults (> 18 years)
HIV infection Included (if CD4 count > 250 cells/μL and not on ART); 110 (7%) Excluded Included (if CD4 count > 150/mm³ and not on ART; 158 (27%) Included if not stage 3 or 4 disease and not on ART; 304 (17%) Excluded
Diagnosis of TB Positive sputum smears on 2 occasions
Culture‐confirmed susceptibility to rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, and moxifloxacin
Newly diagnosed pulmonary TB with at least 2 positive sputum cultures. Confirmed by culture and MDR‐TB excluded, susceptibility to ofloxacin (as proxy for moxifloxacin) 2 sputum samples that were positive for tubercle bacilli on direct smear microscopy
No resistance to isoniazid, rifampicin, or moxifloxacin
Acid‐fast bacilli in 2 consecutive sputum smears; confirmed by culture (solid medium) and drug sensitivity tests to rifampicin, isoniazid, ethambutol, streptomycin, and gatifloxacin 2 positive sputum smear smears for tuberculosis. Culture‐confirmed and MDR‐TB ruled out; susceptible to ofloxacin (as proxy for moxifloxacin)
Intervention(s) and comparator
Duration of ATT 4 monthsa 6 months 4 monthsb 6 months 4 months 6 monthsc 4 months 6 months 4 monthsa 6 months
Regimens 2HRZM/2HRM
+
2MRZE/2MR
2HRZE/4HR 2(HRZG)₃/
2 (HRG)₃
2(HRZM)₃/2(HRM)₃
2(HRZE)₃ /4(HR)₃ 2MRZE/
2P₂M₂
2HRZE/
4HR
2HRZG/
2HRG
2HRZE/4HR 3HRZM
+
2HRZM/
2RHM
+
2HRZM/
2(RHM)₃
+
2HRZM/
2(RHEM)₃
2(HRZE)₃/
4(HR)₃
Number allocated 655 + 636 = 1291 640 141
118
170 275 275 917 919 629 172
Late screening failures excluded after allocation 38 + 32
= 70
40 5
3
5 36 35 62 51 13 8
Number eligible 1231 600 136
115
165 239 240 852 868 616 164
Number analysed in m‐ITT analysis (% of those allocated) 568 + 551 = 1119
(87)
555
(87)
136
(97)
115
(98)
165
(97)
193
(70)
188
(68)
791
(86)
794
(86)
590
(94)
151
(88)
Number analysed in per‐protocol analysis (% of those allocated) 514 + 524
=
1038
(80)
510
(80)
131
(93)
113
(96)
159
(94)
165
(60)
163
(59)
651
(71)
601
(65)
As above
Number analysed in ancillary analysis (ITT) (% of those allocated) 617 + 604
= 1221 (94)
600
(94)
Not done 239
(87)
240 (87) Not reported Not reported
Outcomes reported
Relapse Relapse within 18 months after randomization in those with negative culture with treatment. Relapse strains were those shown to be identical on 24‐locus MIRU analysis
LJ solid media and MGIT liquid media used for culture
Recurrence of TB over 24 months after treatment in those with a favourable response with treatment: either bacteriologic recurrence (LJ solid media) or clinical/radiologic recurrence
 Relapse not differentiated from re‐infection but majority occurred within 6 months after treatment Relapse within 12 to 18 months after treatment. Two positive cultures within a period of 4 months without an intervening negative culture). Re‐infections differentiated from relapse through genotyping (MIRU‐VNTRs)
LJ solid media used for culture in some centres, MGIT liquid media in others, and both in some centres
Recurrence of TB over 24 months after treatment proven bacteriologically (2 consecutive positive sputum samples a day apart) or clinically
Genotyping (MIRU‐VNTRs) results available for only 70/140 (55%) of those with culture confirmed recurrence. Most were relapses
Not reported
Deaths All deaths
TB deaths
Reported (only non‐TB deaths occurred) All deaths
TB deaths
Death during treatment
Death after treatment
Not reported
Treatment discontinuation Includes those who did not complete treatment, relocated, or withdrew consent Includes those who did not complete treatment and those lost to follow‐up Includes change in treatment due to adverse events, loss to follow‐up, and other treatment changes Includes those who withdrew consent during treatment and dropouts Reported but disaggregated data for each group not available
Positive smear/ sputum culture at 2 months Reported using LJ solid media (used in this review) and MGIT liquid media for all randomized participants excluding late screening failures Reported using LJ solid media for all randomized participants excluding late screening failures Reported but disaggregated data for moxifloxacin 4‐month and 6‐month treatment groups not available
Data also not available for all participants from LJ media
Reported for 752 in the 4‐month and 759 in the 6‐month regimens (88% and 87% of those eligible, respectively)
Culture using LJ solid media
Reported for 590
(94%) in the 4‐month and 151
(88%) in the 6‐month regimens
Acquired drug resistance Reported Reported Reported Not reported Not reported
Treatment failure Includes culture confirmed and not confirmed Includes culture confirmed and unconfirmed Culture confirmed Includes culture confirmed failure Not reported
Serious adverse events Reported for all randomized participants excluding late screening failures. Grade 3 and 4 severity (DAIDS 2009) Deduced from adverse events reported for all randomized participants excluding late screening failures. Not graded Reported for all participants randomized who took 1 dose and assessed as severe or life‐threatening during and 2 weeks after treatment. grade 3 and 4 severity (DAIDS 2009) Reported for 1692 (92%) of all randomized participants.
grade 3 and 4 severity (DAIDS 2009)
Deduced from adverse events reported. Not graded
Other adverse events Not reported Reported Not reported QT prolongation
Hyperglycaemic episodes
Reported

Abbreviations: ART: anti‐retroviral treatment; ATT: anti‐tuberculosis treatment; E: ethambutol; G: gatifloxacin; H: isoniazid; ITT: intention‐to‐treat; LJ: Löwenstein‐Jensen; M: moxifloxacin; MGIT: mycobacterial growth indicator tube; MIRU‐VNTRs: mycobacterial interspersed repetitive unit–variable number tandem repeats; m‐ITT: modified intention‐to‐treat; P: rifapentine; R: rifampicin; Z: pyrazinamide.

Leading numbers in regimens indicate duration in months. Drugs were administered daily, except when given thrice weekly as indicated by subscripts.

aData from moxifloxacin‐containing shortened regimens combined for data synthesis.
 bData from the 2 shortened regimens compared separately with standard 6‐month regimens.
 cData from an additional arm evaluating moxifloxacin‐containing 6‐month regimen not included.