Completion of isoniazid preventive therapy for latent tuberculosis infection among children and adolescents compared to adults living with HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo

Background Little is known about isoniazid preventive therapy (IPT) completion rates among children or adolescents compared to adults living with HIV in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort analysis including children, adolescents, and adults living with HIV who were treated at FHI360 and partners-implemented HIV care programs at six health zones in Kinshasa, DRC, from 2004 to 2020. The primary outcome was the proportion of children, adolescents versus adults who did complete 6 months of daily self-administered IPT. Log-binomial regression assessed independent predictors of IPT non-completion and Kaplan-Meier technique for survival analysis. Results Of 11,691 eligible patients on ART who initiated IPT, 429 were children ( Conclusions The overall sub-optimal IPT completion rate in adults as well as children/adolescents in this setting is of great concern. Prospective studies are needed to elucidate the specific barriers to IPT completion among children, adolescents, and adults in DRC as well as the scale-up of evidence-informed interventions to improve IPT completion, such as adoption of shorter TB preventive regimens.