Project 461432

Tuberculosis (TB) disease is a serious global health threat claiming millions of lives every year. Although curable, resistance of Mycobacterium bacteria to antibiotics may develop. In addition, prolonged duration of treatment, drug toxicity and presence of other medical conditions increase the likelihood of poor treatment outcomes. To address these concerns, novel treatment strategies are currently being developed, with research shifting its focus towards identifying potential adjuvant therapies to antibiotics. A strong candidate that gains considerable traction in the recent years is statins, drugs that are widely prescribed for the prevention of cardiovascular events. Statins have been found to influence immunity and improve the antimicrobial activity of anti-TB drugs in animal studies. However, the effectiveness of a combination therapy of antibiotics and statins in human patients is currently unknown. Thus, we aim to assess the potential use of statin as an adjunctive therapy to TB disease by examining the relationship between statin use and treatment outcomes of patients receiving standard therapy for TB disease. Findings from this study will provide valuable information on the potential benefits of statins against active TB and could help guide the development of new therapeutic interventions.