Reducing loss to follow-up during treatment for drug-resistant tuberculosis

The global strategy to end tuberculosis (TB) highlights integrated patient-centred care, bold policies and supportive systems, and intensified research and innovation as major priorities [1]. Central to this is the need to keep people in care and ensure that they are successfully treated using the best evidence-based approaches. This is of particular relevance to people with drug-resistant disease, who will generally need treatment for longer and require a more complicated, potentially toxic regimen. In this issue of the European Respiratory Journal , Law et al. [2] summarise, in their systematic literature review, the evidence for measures that minimise loss to follow-up during treatment of drug-resistant TB in adults. Loss to follow-up during treatment for drug-resistant TB can be reduced by regular and sustained psychosocial support provided by the patient's healthcare workers <http://ow.ly/VzkI30n4sni> M. Lipman is Chief Investigator on the NIHR (National Institute for Health Research, England) Health Technology Assessment-funded study “Intervening with a Manualised Package to AChieve treatment adherence in people with Tuberculosis: the IMPACT study” (16/88/06). The views expressed are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the NHS (National Health Service, UK), the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care.