Preventive Treatment Against Tuberculosis (TB) in Patients With Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) Infection and Confirmed Latent Tuberculous Infection

Summary

To evaluate and compare the safety and effectiveness of a one-year course of isoniazid (INH) versus a two-month course of rifampin plus pyrazinamide for the prevention of reactivation tuberculosis in individuals infected with both HIV and latent (inactive) Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Current guidelines from the American Thoracic Society and the Centers for Disease Control recommend 6 to 12 months of INH for PPD (purified protein derivative)-positive individuals. Although the effectiveness of this treatment is not known for HIV-infected individuals, several studies using INH to prevent tuberculosis in presumably normal hosts have shown 60 to 80 percent effectiveness. Problems with this treatment include compliance, adverse reaction, and the possibility of not preventing disease due to tuberculosis organisms being resistant to INH. A two-month preventive treatment plan should help in increasing compliance. In addition, the use of two drugs (rifampin / pyrazinamide) may help overcome problems with drug resistance. If this study shows equal or greater effectiveness of the two-month rifampin / pyrazinamide treatment, it could alter the approach to tuberculosis prevention for both HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals.

Timeline

Start

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Primary completion

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Completion

1999-09

Publications

• Background Halsey N, et al. Twice weekly INH vs RIF and PZA for TB prophylaxis in HIV infected adults. Natl Conf Hum Retroviruses Relat Infect (2nd). 1995 Jan 29-Feb 2:55
• Background Gordin F, Chaisson RE, Matts JP, Miller C, de Lourdes Garcia M, Hafner R, Valdespino JL, Coberly J, Schechter M, Klukowicz AJ, Barry MA, O'Brien RJ. Rifampin and pyrazinamide vs isoniazid for prevention of tuberculosis in HIV-infected persons: an international randomized trial. Terry Beirn Community Programs for Clinical Research on AIDS, the Adult AIDS Clinical Trials Group, the Pan American Health Organization, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Study Group. JAMA. 2000 Mar 15;283(11):1445-50. doi: 10.1001/jama.283.11.1445.

Drugs

Indications