Tuberculosis (TB) treatment can be shortened from six to four months in 80% of children. This is according to findings from the SHINE study that were presented at a leading TB conference on Saturday.
“The SHINE trial is one of the largest paediatric trials conducted for TB, and these results are really great, especially at this point in time,” said Dr Eric Wobudeya, who presented the findings at the virtual 51st Union World Conference on Lung Health.
The study included over 1 000 participants and looked at less severe forms of TB, which make up 80% of the burden in children.
“We have demonstrated that it is possible to conduct a randomised control study in children which is great… [and] incredibly important for the science world where children are often left out,” said Wobudeya, a paediatrician in Uganda – one of the countries in which the study was conducted.
Lagging behind adults
According to a 2018 article (setting out the reasoning for the SHINE study) published in the scientific journal Trials, studies of anti-tuberculosis treatment in children historically have lagged substantially behind adult studies and “evidence for tuberculosis treatment in children is largely extrapolated from adult studies”. Read more…
