Risk Factors and Treatment Outcomes Associated With Sputum Smear Conversion in Newly Diagnosed Bacteriologically Confirmed Pulmonary Tuberculosis Patients at Tuberculosis-Directly Observed Therapy Short Course – The Medical City Ortigas: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Abstract This research examined risk factors and treatment outcomes related to sputum conversion in newly diagnosed, bacteriologically-confirmed pulmonary TB patients at a local TB-DOTS center in the Philippines. Conducted over ten years (2013-2023), the study analyzed data from the TB-DOTS Registry and medical records using logistic regression. No significant associations were found between sociodemographic or clinical factors and sputum smear conversion (Chi-square test, P-values > 0.05). Although bivariate and multivariable logistic regression did not identify significant predictors, female patients had a higher odds ratio (2.6) for non-conversion compared to males (p-value = 0.078). Treatment outcomes were significantly associated with sputum smear conversion (p-value = 0.022). These results align with previous research on high TB prevalence and the impact of diabetes mellitus, though diabetes was not a statistically significant predictor in this study. The significant association between treatment outcomes and sputum smear conversion suggests effective follow-up care. The study's limitations and recommendations for future research are discussed.