Can latent tuberculosis be treated effectively in primary care?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Can latent tuberculosis infection be treated effectively and safely in primary care? A cluster randomised controlled trial
IRAS ID
178513
Contact name
Heinke Kunst
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Queen Mary University of London
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
People with dormant/latent TB (LTBI) have TB bacteria in their bodies, but do not have any symptoms because the bacteria are not active. We know that recent migrants with LTBI from countries where TB is very common (incidence greater than 150 per 100 000) are at risk of developing active TB (their dormant bacteria become active) after they arrive in the UK. Active TB can be both infectious and deadly. The treatment for LTBI is three-month course of antibiotics. This significantly reduces the risk of developing active TB. This treatment is currently arranged and supervised by hospital clinics, however, many migrants do not attend and numbers of people completing antibiotics is low. This leaves many at risk of developing active TB. We believe a community (primary care) based approach to the treatment of LTBI, coordinated by general practices and local pharmacists, will achieve much higher rates of antibiotic completion. The London Borough of Newham has amongst the highest rates of active TB in Western Europe. As part of a strategy to tackle this disease burden, an innovative model of care has been implemented in the borough in which GPs and pharmacists screen and treat migrants with LTBI. Our trial will evaluate whether primary care based management of LTBI leads to higher rates of treatment completion amongst recent migrants when compared to hospital based care. This approach would save money (both for the health service and for patients in terms of travels costs) and reduce numbers of new cases of active TB. The results of this study will have a major impact on national recommendations for TB care.
REC name
London - Camden & Kings Cross Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/LO/0328
Date of REC Opinion
11 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion