Adverse effects of short-term regimens in multidrug-resistant tuberculosis patients with treatment failure in Central Java, Indonesia

Muhamad Zakki Saefurrohim*  -  Department of Epidemiology, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Mulawarman, Indonesia
Intan Henda Ardiani  -  Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Indonesia
Alma Feriyanti  -  Universitas Mulawarman, Indonesia
Intan Zainafree  -  Universitas Negeri Semarang, Indonesia
Fildza Huwaina Fathnin  -  Universitas Islam Sultan Agung, Indonesia

(*) Corresponding Author
DOI: 10.30659/sainsmed.v17i1.45038

Recent evidence shows high rates of treatment failure among multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) patients on short-course regimens. This clinic-based case–control study used Tuberculosis Information System (SITB) data from Central Java, Indonesia (2021–2023) to examine associations between employment status, HIV status, baseline sputum examination, and body mass index (BMI) with specific categories of treatment failure (treatment failure, diagnostic change, regimen modification, loss to follow-up, and death). Overall treatment failure was 70.59%, including 15.3% deaths. Employment status was significantly associated with failure category (p=0.022), with unemployed patients disproportionately experiencing loss to follow-up (82.5%) and death (59.6%). HIV-reactive patients were more likely to undergo regimen modification (p=0.009; 1.8%). Baseline sputum results showed the strongest association (p<0.001): negative sputum was linked to diagnostic change (49.1%) and unknown sputum status to loss to follow-up (66.7%). Low BMI (<18.5 kg/m2) was also associated with failure category (p=0.037), particularly loss to follow-up (75.4%) and death (33.3%). These findings implicate socioeconomic vulnerability, HIV co-infection, absent or negative baseline sputum results, and undernutrition as important determinants of distinct short-course MDR-TB treatment failures and support integrated, patient-centred interventions to improve outcomes.

Keywords: adverse effects; short-term regimens; multidrug-resistant tuberculosis; treatment failure

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Open Access Copyright (c) 2026 Muhamad Zakki Saefurrohim, Intan Henda Ardiani, Alma Feriyanti, Intan Zainafree, Fildza Huwaina Fathnin
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0

Sains Medika: Jurnal Kedokteran dan Kesehatan
is published by Faculty of Medicine Universitas Islam Sultan Agung, Indonesia in association with FOKI (FORUM KEDOKTERAN ISLAM INDONESIA).

Contact: Jl. Raya Kaligawe Km.4, PO BOX 1054/SM Semarang 50112, Indonesia
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ISSN: 2339-093X (Online) | 2085-1545 (Print)
DOI : 10.30659/sainsmed

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

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