Rationale Most of the guidelines on the treatment of tuberculosis suggest that 6 months treatment is sufficient for extrapulmonary tuberculosis except for bone tuberculosis and tubercular meningitis. Despite these recommendations, most physicians treating abdominal tuberculosis use antituberculous therapy for 9 months, sometimes even 12 months without any scientific justification. In a randomized controlled trial, Balasubramaniam et al reported no difference in success rate of 6mo (99%) vs 12 months (94%) antituberculous drugs (conventional strategy) in the treatment of abdominal tuberculosis.~Although DOTS have been proved to be effective in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, lymph nodal tuberculosis, however, there is a lack of data on efficacy of DOTS in other extra-pulmonary disease including abdominal tuberculosis. The aim of the present study is not to assess the efficacy of DOTs but whether the Cat I regimen for 6 months is effective in the treatment of abdominal tuberculosis. We, therefore planned to conduct a multicenter randomized controlled trial to determine the difference in the efficacy and recurrence rate in 6months and 9 months of intermittent short course category I regimen under RNTCP.~Hypothesis There may not be a significant difference in the efficacy and recurrence rate of abdominal tuberculosis in those treated for six months vs those treated for 9 months with intermittent short course category I regimen under RNTCP.~Objectives~Primary objectives:~To determine the efficacy of intermittent short course chemotherapy for 6 months under Directly Observed Therapy (Category I under RNTCP) in treatment of abdominal tuberculosis (proportion of patients responding to treatment)~To determine difference in the recurrence of disease between the two randomized groups after only observation for three months and extension of RNTCP Cat I for three months in a subset of patients with definite clinical response after 6 months of DOTs Secondary objective~1. To study the effect of anti-tubercular drugs on the natural history of intestinal stricture due to tuberculosis Outcomes~Outcome measures:~Primary:~Response to treatment (6 months and nine months of RNTCP Cat I treatment) as defined earlier~Recurrence of symptoms of abdominal tuberculosis (intestinal and peritoneal) after 1 year of follow up in those who receive 6 months or 9 months of Cat I treatment.
Most of the guidelines on the treatment of tuberculosis suggest that 6 months treatment is sufficient for extrapulmonary tuberculosis except for bone tuberculosis and tubercular meningitis. Despite these recommendations, most physicians treating abdominal tuberculosis use antituberculous therapy for 9 months, sometimes even 12 months without any scientific justification. In a randomized controlled trial, Balasubramaniam et al reported no difference in success rate of 6mo (99%) vs 12 months (94%) antituberculous drugs (conventional strategy) in the treatment of abdominal tuberculosis.~Although Directly Observed Therapy (DOTs) have been proved to be effective in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, lymph nodal tuberculosis, however, there is a lack of data on efficacy of DOTS in other extra-pulmonary disease including abdominal tuberculosis. Therefore, there is an urgent need to establish the efficacy of DOTs strategy of antituberculous therapy in the treatment of abdominal tuberculosis.~Therefore, the investigators planned to conduct a multicenter randomized controlled trial to determine the difference in the recurrence of disease after only observation for three months and three months extension of DOTs in a subset of patients with definite clinical response after 6 months of DOTs.