THE SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF RIFAPENTINE USED TO TREAT DRUG-SUSCEPTIBLE PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

Abstract

A comparative investigation was conducted to study the safety and efficacy of rifapentine (Rifapex, Lipin Ltd, India) used to treat 65 patients with drug-susceptible pulmonary tuberculosis. A study group of 41 patients took rifapentine thrice weekly; a comparison group of 24 patients received a standard thrice-weekly regimen of rifampicin according to the manufacturer’s guidelines. The follow-up lasted 12 weeks. The rates of adverse reactions during treatment with rifapentine and rifampicin were 63.4 and 70.8%, respectively (the differences were statistically insignificant). A drug was discontinued because of side effects in 2 (4.9%) and 5 (20.8%) patients in the study and comparison groups, respectively (p = 0.09, Fisher’s exact test). Therapeutic effectiveness was comparable in both groups: all the patients ceased to excrete bacteria, had none complaints or symptoms of intoxication, showed pronounced X-ray changes as reductions in infiltrative changes, consolidation, and foci (the effectiveness was analyzed in 35 patients (20 from the study group and 15 from the comparison one). The findings (comparable efficacy and tolerability, the lower rate of unremovable adverse reactions associated with rifapentine than that with rifampicin) provide a basis for using rifapentine in patients with drug-susceptible tuberculosis.

Keywords

• рифапентин
• лекарственная чувствительность микобактерий туберкулеза
• нежелательные побочные реакции