Epidemiological characteristics and risk factors analysis of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis among tuberculosis population in Huzhou City, Eastern China

The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) within the tuberculosis (TB) population in Huzhou City, identify associated risk factors, furnish reference values for clinical practice, and establish standardized anti-TB treatment regimens. Retrospectively analyzing data from TB patients in Huzhou City encompassed 2,261 cases with sputum smear positive and 1,754 cases with sputum smear negative from January 2016 to December 2022. There were 3.66%(147/4,015) TB patients identified as MDR-TB. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of developing MDR-TB in individuals with comorbidities was 9.17 times higher than in individuals without comorbidities (odds ratio [OR] = 9.17, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 6.5-12.93, <i>P</i> < 0.001). The risk of progressing to MDR-TB with a positive sputum smear was 1.93 times higher than with a negative one (OR = 1.93, 95% CI: 1.35-2.77, <i>P</i> < 0.001). The risk of developing MDR-TB was 1.69 times higher in patients had smoking history than in those without (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.11-2.56, <i>P</i> = 0.014). The main risk factors for developing MDR-TB were male patients, smoking history, sputum smear positive, farmer, body mass index ≤18.5, retreated cases, and those combination of diabetes or pneumoconiosis.