Reducing Early Mortality and Early Morbidity by Empiric Tuberculosis Treatment Regimens (REMEMBER)

Detailed Summary

People with HIV have a high chance of becoming infected with TB, especially when they live in areas where TB infection is common. It can be difficult to diagnose TB in people who need to start HIV treatment right away. Within about 6 months after starting HIV treatment, some of these people can become very sick with TB and can even die from it. This study was being done in people who were starting HIV treatment and who lived in areas where the TB infection rate is high. The purpose of this study was to test an experimental approach to TB treatment to see if it is better than the usual approach. The experimental approach was to start TB treatment at the same time as HIV treatment, even when TB infection had not been found. The usual approach was to start TB treatment only if TB infection was found. In this study, half of the people started TB treatment at the same time as they started their HIV treatment. The other half started TB treatment only if TB infection was found. The study also tested how safe and effective it was to start TB treatment at about the same time as HIV treatment even when TB infection had not been found. The study collected information about diet, whether (and when) people in the study became sicker or died, how well their HIV was controlled, how they were feeling, how they were taking their medications, whether it mattered where they lived or what kind of HIV and TB care was standard, how many people were diagnosed with TB while in the study, and how the cost of the two treatment options on a national level could be compared.

Study Details

Timeline

Interventions