Undernutrition linked to increased mortality in multidrug-resistant TB

Increased mortality and longer time to sputum culture conversion among individuals with multidrug-resistanttuberculosis (MDR-TB) is significantly associated with undernutrition, according to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Reviewers sought to assess the effect of undernutrition on treatment outcomes and sputum culture conversion among individuals with MDR-TB. The primary study endpoints were unsuccessful treatment outcomes (ie, a composite of loss to follow-up, treatment failure, and death) and all-cause mortality. The secondary endpoint was sputum culture conversion, defined as the transition from a positive culture to 2 consecutive negative cultures at least 30 days apart. Read more here.