Abstract
BACKGROUND: Evidence of substantial, quantifiable and preventable burdens of mortality hazard even after anti-tuberculosis treatment and cure would be a compelling, concrete, and useful measure of the value of prevention.
METHODS: We compared years of potential life lost between a cohort of 3 933 cured tuberculosis (TB) patients and 9 166 persons with latent tuberculous infection. We constructed a regression model to predict the expected years of potential life lost in each cohort and for demographic subgroups.
RESULTS: Among decedents, a history of fully treated TB is associated with a predicted average 3.6 more years of potential life loss than a comparable population without active TB. Greater longevity losses were predicted among those identified as White and Hispanic than among Black and Asian counterparts.
CONCLUSION: We found significant differences in predicted longevity of treated TB survivors relative to a similar group without active TB. These excess losses are substantial: a total of 14 158 life-years or the equivalent of more than 188 75-year lifespans. These findings illustrate an important opportunity cost associated with each preventable TB case - an average of 3.6 potential years of life. We conclude that substantial preventable mortality burdens remain despite adequate anti-tuberculosis treatment, a compelling rationale for more widespread and systematic use of prevention.
Original language | English |
---|---|
Pages (from-to) | 1347-1352 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | International Journal of Tuberculosis and Lung Disease |
Volume | 18 |
Issue number | 11 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - 1 Nov 2014 |
Keywords
- Mortality
- Premature death
- Regression