SETTING: Alberta, Canada, 1990-2003. OBJECTIVE: Monotherapy of active tuberculosis (TB) promotes drug resistance. Given the common practice of empiric fluoroquinolone (FQ) therapy for urinary tract infections (UTI) and frequent delayed diagnosis of renal TB, we assessed urine Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates for FQ resistance. DESIGN: Retrospective study. Urine M. tuberculosis isolates underwent FQ susceptibility testing. Records were reviewed for evidence of FQ exposure and diagnostic delay. RESULTS: Among 78 culture-positive renal TB patients between 1990 and 2003, initial isolates of M. tuberculosis were available from 74 (94.9%). Three (4.1%) were FQ-resistant. Previous FQ use was confirmed in nine cases (12.2%). FQ-exposed isolates were more likely than non-exposed isolates to be FQ-resistant (2/9, 22.2% vs. 1/65, 1.5%, P = 0.037). Among 41 cases (55.4%) with signs or symptoms of UTI, eight (19.5%) had previous FQ exposure, of which seven (87.5%) had delayed diagnosis. Only 15/33 (45.5%) UTI symptomatic cases without prior FQ exposure had delayed diagnosis (P = 0.050). In 2/8 (25%) UTI symptomatic cases with prior FQ exposure, the M. tuberculosis isolate was FQ-resistant. CONCLUSION: FQ monotherapy of unsuspected renal TB may delay diagnosis and lead to FQ resistance.
SETTING: Alberta, Canada, 1990-2003. OBJECTIVE: Monotherapy of active tuberculosis (TB) promotes drug resistance. Given the common practice of empiric fluoroquinolone (FQ) therapy for urinary tract infections (UTI) and frequent delayed diagnosis of renal TB, we assessed urine Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolates for FQ resistance. DESIGN: Retrospective study. Urine M. tuberculosis isolates underwent FQ susceptibility testing. Records were reviewed for evidence of FQ exposure and diagnostic delay. RESULTS: Among 78 culture-positive renal TB patients between 1990 and 2003, initial isolates of M. tuberculosis were available from 74 (94.9%). Three (4.1%) were FQ-resistant. Previous FQ use was confirmed in nine cases (12.2%). FQ-exposed isolates were more likely than non-exposed isolates to be FQ-resistant (2/9, 22.2% vs. 1/65, 1.5%, P = 0.037). Among 41 cases (55.4%) with signs or symptoms of UTI, eight (19.5%) had previous FQ exposure, of which seven (87.5%) had delayed diagnosis. Only 15/33 (45.5%) UTI symptomatic cases without prior FQ exposure had delayed diagnosis (P = 0.050). In 2/8 (25%) UTI symptomatic cases with prior FQ exposure, the M. tuberculosis isolate was FQ-resistant. CONCLUSION:FQ monotherapy of unsuspected renal TB may delay diagnosis and lead to FQ resistance.