RT Journal
A1 Sterling TR, Brehm WT
T1 ISoniazid preventive therapy in areas of high isoniazid resistance-reply
JF Archives of Internal Medicine
JO Archives of Internal Medicine
YR 1996
FD March 25
VO 156
IS 6
SP 686
OP 686
DO 10.1001/archinte.1996.00440060115020
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1996.00440060115020
AB One can examine any potential patient population with decision analysis as long as relevant data are available in the literature. To our knowledge, TB case-fatality rates have not been stratified according to disease severity at the time the patient sought medical attention or to the quality of medical care received. Although these factors may be important in determining patient outcome, they have not been quantified and therefore cannot be included in a decision analysis.From a qualitative rather than quantitative standpoint, the higher the TB case-fatality rate, the greater the benefit of isoniazid preventive therapy. Thus, among patient populations that may be at increased risk for death due to TB, use of isoniazid would be more heavily favored than among a population with a lower TB case-fatality rate. This was true in our analysis over a range of isoniazid effectiveness (which takes into account patient compliance) of 9% to 93%.