PATIENTS WITH MULTIDRUG-RESISTANT TUBERCULOSIS IN A REFERENCE CENTER: SOCIODEMOGRAPHIC AND CLINICAL-EPIDEMIOLOGICAL PROFILE

The objective of this is quantitative, descriptive, retrospective and sectional study was to describe the sociodemographic and clinical-epidemiological profile of the patients with Multidrug-Resistant Tuberculosis (MRTB) enrolled in the State of Sao Paulo Reference Center for Tuberculosis (TB). Data was collected from notification forms and medical records of subjects registered between August 2002 and December 2009. Data collection was performed February to June 2010, using a structured instrument, and then systematized using Excel and Epi Info. It was identified 188 people, 74.2% from the municipality of Sao Paulo; 93.1% in the productive age group; 61.6% were unemployed; 64.4% men; 34.6% had 4 to 7 years of education; 98.9% with prior TB treatment; 98.4% with pulmonary MRTB; 71.4% with bilateral lesion cavity and all tested for antimicrobial sensitivity. The findings evidenced that subjects developed MRTB mainly due to living conditions and accessibility to health services. Insufficient data from notification forms and files limited an extensive approach as required by TB, a disease proven to be socially determined.