Abstract:

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major global public health challenge. In China, the population with latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) exceeds 200 million, and preventive therapy represents a pivotal pathway to ending the TB epidemic. Traditional long-course regimens are afflicted by low treatment coverage, stemming from poor patient adherence and concerns over adverse reactions. Endowed with the core advantages of shortened treatment duration and reduced therapeutic burden, the isoniazid-rifapentine (H-P) regimen has been further developed into a diverse array of short-course protocols tailored to distinct populations through targeted adjustment of dosage and administration frequency. The authors systematically review the advances in relevant domestic clinical researches over the past decade, with a focused analysis of treatment completion rate, adverse reaction profiles and preventive effectiveness of various H-P short-course regimens in both the general LTBI population and special populations including silicosis patients, hemodialysis recipients, elderly patients with diabetes. It further clarifies the clinical application scenarios and limitations of different regimens, aiming to provide evidence-based references for the safe and effective clinical selection of H-P short-course protocols for LTBI populations in China.

Key words: Latent tuberculosis infection, Preventive therapy, Isoniazid, Rifapentine