Impact of Isoniazid Preventive Therapy on Tuberculosis Incidence and Predictors of Tuberculosis Among People Living With HIV/AIDS at Debre Tabor General Hospital, Northwest Ethiopia

Background: The World Health Organization (WHO) recommended isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) to decrease the effects of tuberculosis (TB) on human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) patients. However, not enough research has been conducted to determine the impact of IPT on TB incidence and their predictors. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate how IPT affects the incidence of TB and identify factors that are predictive of TB among HIV/AIDS patients.Methods: A total of 588 patients at Debre Tabor General Hospital (DTGH) who had taken IPT between December 2009 and January 2016 participated in the current study, which then followed them for 3 years and compared them to patients who did not receive IPT during the study period. The data were gathered from patient registries and charts. IPT users’ and nonusers’ TB‐free survival curves were compared using log‐rank testing. Predictors were identified using bivariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.Results: In this study, 1656 person‐years (PYs) follow‐ups on 588 patients found 82 additional TB cases, with an overall incidence rate (IR) of 4.95/100 PY. When compared to individuals who were not on IPT, the TB IR among patients living with human immunodeficiency virus (PLHIV) on IPT was significantly lower (1.94/100 PY vs. 8.32/100 PY). A baseline CD4 cell count < 200 cells/uL, history of TB, Hgb level < 10 g/dL, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, and not receiving IPT are independent predictors of TB among HIV/AIDS patients.Conclusion: The frequency of TB was high among PLHIV patients who did not receive IPT. It was discovered that a low CD4 cell count at baseline, a history of TB, IPT status, Hgb level, and BMI independently predicted the presence of TB. Therefore, addressing the independent predictors that are connected to a higher risk of TB in PLHIV as well as isoniazid (INH) prophylaxis has a significant impact on reducing the incidence of TB.