II. Diagnosis
- See Tuberculosis
- Requires idenitifying Acid Fast Bacteria
- Tuberculosis Screening (TST, IGRA) is insufficient to diagnose Active Tb
III. Precautions
-
Tuberculosis requires long-term treatment
- Requires at least 4 months of medications (extended as long as 24 months in some cases)
- Regimens for Tuberculosis treatment must be multi-drug
- Four drugs should be used initially until culture (returned by 6-8)
- Never add a single drug to a failing regimen
- Avoid the Susceptible Tb Treatment protocol in suspected resistant Tuberculosis
- Patients must be monitored at least monthly
- Patient noncompliance is a major problem
- Consider intermittent therapy
- Consider Directly observed therapy
- Patients must be isolated (quarantined) until non-infectious
- Patient should stay in their home and wear a mask around others (or negative airflow room in facility)
- Non-infectious status is confirmed with three induced Sputum samples negative for acid-fast Bacteria
- Patients become non-infectious at 2-4 weeks after initiating Antibiotics
IV. Drug Interactions
- Review Drug Interactions before use (esp. Rifampin)
V. Adverse Effects: Tuberculosis Medications
- Gastrointestinal upset
- Consider taking medication with food
- Consider Antacid use
-
Hepatotoxin (AST 3-5x normal)
- See Also Hepatotoxin
- Consider alternatives below if advanced liver disease
- Drugs most likely to cause Drug-Induced Hepatitis
- Isoniazid
- Rifampin (less with Rifapentine)
- Pyrazinamide
- Alternative drugs if Drug-Induced Hepatitis occurs
-
Peripheral Neuropathy
- Isoniazid (INH)
-
Optic Neuritis
- Ethambutol (EMB)
-
Gout
- Pyrazinamide (PZA)
-
Ototoxicity
- Streptomycin (and other Aminoglycosides)
-
Renal Toxin
- Streptomycin (and other Aminoglycosides)
- Discolored body fluids
- Rifampin causes red-orange Urine Color, stool color, Saliva, sweat and tears
VI. Labs
- Obtain 3 initial Acid-fast bacilli smears and cultures (or DNA testing)
- Repeat testing monthly until 2 consecutive tests are negative
- Acid-fast bacilli smears, DNA and cultures are critical to management
- Determine the drug regimen used
- Determine the duration of the continuation phase of treatment
VII. Management: Protocols
VIII. Management: Standard Adult
- See Susceptible Tb Treatment
- Background
- Four Drug Therapy with Moxifloxacin and Rifapentine 4 Month Course (2022 Regimen)
- This protocol assumes susceptible Tuberculosis
- See Susceptible Tb Treatment for complete description and indications
- Avoid this protocol in suspected resistant Tuberculosis
- Indications
- Age =12 years AND body weight =40 kg
- Pulmonary TB caused by organisms that are not known or suspected to be drug-resistant
- Contraindications
- Age <12 years or weight <40 kg
- Use the Ethambutol/Rifampin protocol for total of 4 months instead (see below)
- Pregnancy or Breastfeeding
- Requires 24 week course with a different regimen
- Extrapulmonary Tuberculosis (esp. CNS involvement)
- Age <12 years or weight <40 kg
- Phase 1: Intensive for first 8 weeks
- Rifapentine (RPT) 1200 mg orally daily
- Moxifloxacin (MOX) 400 mg orally daily
- Isoniazid (INH) 300 mg orally daily
- Pyrazinamide (PZA) 1000, 1500 or 2000 mg (based on weight <55 kg, 55-75 kg, or >75 kg)
- Phase 2: Continuation for additional 9 weeks
- Rifapentine (RPT) 1200 mg orally daily
- Moxifloxacin (MOX) 400 mg orally daily
- Isoniazid (INH) 300 mg orally daily
- Adjunctive
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 25-50 mg daily
- Indicated for Neuropathy risk due to INH (e.g. Diabetes Mellitus, Alcoholism)
- See Isoniazid for details
- Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine) 25-50 mg daily
- Monitoring
- Liver Function Tests at baseline and 3 months
- Renal Function baseline (may affect Pyrazinamide dosing)
- References
IX. Management: Special Circumstances
-
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
- Avoid once weekly continuation phase protocols
- Pediatric patients
- Start empiric treatment immediately if suspected
- High risk of Disseminated tuberculosis
- Initial Protocol
- Three drug regimen indicated in most cases (contrast with adults where 4 drug regimen used)
- Regimen: Isoniazid, Pyrazinamide, Rifampin
- Ethambutol avoided due to decreased Vision risk
- Four drug regimen (inc. Ethambutol) indications
- Upper lobe infitrate
- Cavitation
- Productive cough
- Three drug regimen indicated in most cases (contrast with adults where 4 drug regimen used)
- Start empiric treatment immediately if suspected
- Pregnant Women
- Initial Regimen: Isoniazid, Rifampin, Ethambutol
- Give Pyridoxine 25 mg daily (prevents Neuropathy)
- Do not use Streptomycin in pregnancy
- Pyrazinamide appears safe in pregnancy
- Less studied, and avoided in some regimens
- Give 7 month continuation phase if no Pyrazinamide
-
Lactation
- May continue to Breast feed on antituberculous drugs
- Give Pyridoxine 25 mg daily (prevents Neuropathy)
X. Management: Non-compliance
-
General
- Compliance management is imperative
- Non-compliance causes treatment failures, resistance
- Dosing should be observed unless compliance assured
- Consider fixed dose combinations
- Rifater
- Contents
- Rifampin 120 mg
- Isoniazid 50 mg
- Pyrazinamide 300mg
- Treat for first 2 months of daily therapy
- Weight <44 kg: 4 tabs qd
- Weight 45-54 kg: 5 tabs qd
- Weight >55 kg: 6 tabs qd
- Contents
- Rifamate
- Rifater
XI. Resources
- CDC Tb Guidelines Treatment
XII. References
- (2016) Presc Lett 23(10)
- Swadron (2019) Pulmonology 2, CCME Emergency Medicine Board Review, accessed 6/16/2019
- Frieden (2003) Lancet 362:887-99 [PubMed]
- Nahid (2016) Clin Infect Dis 63(7): e147-95 [PubMed]
- Potter (2005) Am Fam Physician 72:2225-35 [PubMed]
Images: Related links to external sites (from Bing)
Related Studies
Concepts | Disease or Syndrome (T047) |
SnomedCT | 427099000 |
English | Active tuberculosis, Active tuberculosis (disorder), active tuberculosis |
Spanish | tuberculosis activa (trastorno), tuberculosis activa, Tuberculosis activa |
Portuguese | Tuberculose activa |
Italian | Tubercolosi attiva |
German | Aktive Tuberkulose |
French | Tuberculose active |
Dutch | actieve tuberculose |
Czech | Aktivní tuberkulóza |
Japanese | カツドウセイケッカク, 活動性結核 |
Hungarian | Aktív tuberculosis |