Improving the Quality of Life in Tuberculosis Patients with N–Acetylcysteine

Introduction: The importance of maintaining and enhancing the quality of life in (tuberculosis TB) patients is essential. The purpose of this study was to use N - acetylcysteine to improve the quality of life in patients with tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: This study is a double-blind clinical trial that performed on 88 patients on anti-TB treatment that aged over 50 years in the central province of Iran within 15 months. Data collection tools included a demographic questionnaire and the Short Form Quality of life (SF12). Data were analyzed using SPSS software and t-test, Chi-square, Mann-Whitney, ANOVA and Pearson correlation analysis were used. p less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: This study showed that the two groups before the intervention in different features were not significantly different, but in quality of life at the end of the first month. The intervention group compared with the control group in physical subscale score (p=0/0068) and psychological subscale scores (p=0/0284) and quality of life score (p=0/0112) were better. Also, our study showed that age of patients (p=0/0331), duration of disease (p=0/0416), and serum CRP mean (p= 0/0234) and type of tuberculosis (p=0/0372) were significantly related to total score of quality of life at the end of the first month in the intervention group. Conclusions: According to this survey results we hoped to combine the use of adjuvant therapy with N-acetylcysteine and standard tuberculosis treatment improves quality of life and increase life expectancy of patients.