Prescription Pattern Analysis of Tuberculosis Treatment at a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Prescription analysis of tuberculosis (TB) is essential for optimising treatment and combating contagious conditions brought on by TB-causing Mycobacterium. TB remains a significant health challenge, particularly in high-burden countries like India. Prescription analysis evaluates the patterns of anti-tubercular medication use, aiming to ensure rational drug use and improve patient outcomes. This study is essential in cases when treatment regimens are complex, such as with extensively drug-resistant TB and multi-drug-resistant TB. By understanding prescription patterns, healthcare professionals can lessen drug resistance and improve the effectiveness of TB treatment programmes.Materials and Method: This observational cross-sectional study was carried out in January and February 2021 and aimed to assess the prescription patterns in TB treatment at a hospital in Ranchi. The study included 119 patients, excluding critically ill individuals and those unwilling to provide informed consent. Data on socio-demographic features, prescribed medications, hospitalisation duration, and comorbid conditions were collected.Results: The study revealed a male predominance (63.02%) and themajority of participants aged 19–30 years (31.09%). Most respondentswere illiterate (39.49%) and from rural areas (89.91%). Levofloxacinwas the most commonly prescribed medication (98.32%), with isoniazidbeing the least prescribed (87.39%). Eight treatment regimens wereidentified, with R3 (isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol,streptomycin injection, and levofloxacin) being the most prevalent(82.35%). The average hospitalisation duration was 4.01 ± 2.12 months.Comorbid conditions were present in 20.17% of patients, diabetes(41.7%) and epilepsy (25%) being the most common.Conclusion: This study highlights that the practice of irrational use ofdrugs is common and there is an urgent need for prescription patternanalysis in promoting rational drug use in TB treatment. How to cite this article:Mangal S, Dasgupta S, Ray M, Saha S, MajiH S, Indu R. Prescription Pattern Analysisof Tuberculosis Treatment at a Tertiary CareHospital: A Cross-Sectional Study. J CommunDis. 2024;56(4):76-80. DOI: https://doi.org/10.24321/0019.5138.202473