Linezolid Instead of Ethambutol in Treatment of Drug-susceptible Tuberculosis

Summary

The current standard short-course treatment for pulmonary TB requires 6 months to complete. This long duration of treatment increases the likelihood of side effects while decreasing patients' adherence to anti-TB drugs. Linezolid showed considerable efficacy against refractory multidrug-resistant TB. Considering the marked anti-TB effects of linezolid as well as the possible adverse effects of its long-term use, it is rational to use linezolid instead of ethambutol for the first 4 weeks of treatment for drug-susceptible pulmonary TB. Through randomized controlled trial, the investigators will evaluate the hypothesis that the use of linezolid instead of ethambutol will increase the sputum culture conversion rate by 15% after 2 months of treatment. Patients with TB without resistance to rifampicin will be randomized to the following three arms at a 1:1:1 ratio: Arma 1 (control arm), Arm 2 (linezolid for 2 weeks instead of ethambutol), Arm 3 (linezolid for 4 weeks instead of ethambutol)Primary outcome will be sputum culture conversion rate after 2 months of treatment (liquid media).

Timeline

Start

2014-01

Primary completion

2015-12

Completion

2016-06

Publications

• Lee JK, Lee JY, Kim DK, Yoon HI, Jeong I, Heo EY, Park YS, Jo YS, Lee JH, Park SS, Park JS, Kim J, Lee SM, Joh JS, Lee CH, Lee J, Choi SM, Park JH, Lee SH, Cho YJ, Lee YJ, Kim SJ, Kwak N, Hwang YR, Kim H, Ki J, Lim JN, Choi HS, Lee M, Song T, Kim HS, Han J, Ahn H, Hahn S, Yim JJ. Substitution of ethambutol with linezolid during the intensive phase of treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: a prospective, multicentre, randomised, open-label, phase 2 trial. Lancet Infect Dis. 2019 Jan;19(1):46-55. doi: 10.1016/S1473-3099(18)30480-8. Epub 2018 Nov 23.
• Lee JY, Kim DK, Lee JK, Yoon HI, Jeong I, Heo E, Park YS, Lee JH, Park SS, Lee SM, Lee CH, Lee J, Choi SM, Park JS, Joh JS, Cho YJ, Lee YJ, Kim SJ, Hwang YR, Kim H, Ki J, Choi H, Han J, Ahn H, Hahn S, Yim JJ. Substitution of ethambutol with linezolid during the intensive phase of treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis: study protocol for a prospective, multicenter, randomized, open-label, phase II trial. Trials. 2017 Feb 13;18(1):68. doi: 10.1186/s13063-017-1811-0.

Drugs

Indications