Background: The current recommendation for the treatment of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in solid organ transplant candidates is isoniazid for 9 months, but this treatment has the main problem of frequently reaching the posttransplant period.
Methods: This is the study of efficacy and safety of a 3-month regimen with isoniazid and rifampicin (3HR) in lung transplant candidates in the Reina Sofía Hospital in Córdoba.
Results: Three hundred and ninety-eight lung transplant patients were evaluated. Ninety-two (24.9%) had LTBI and just 22 received the 3HR treatment. One additional patient was treated because he had a history of previous incomplete treatment for active TB. None of the treated patients developed posttransplant tuberculosis compared to three of the 62 patients with LTBI who were not treated (4.8%). Three patients could not conclude the 3HR treatment (13%), but only two had adverse effects (8.7%).
Conclusions: Treatment of LTBI in lung transplant candidates using a short course of 3HR appears to be effective and safe in preventing posttransplant TB in lung transplant recipients.
Keywords: latent tuberculosis infection; lung transplantation; tuberculosis.
© 2016 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.