Treating Tuberculosis Wasting With a High-protein Supplement

It is hypothesized that patients with tuberculosis receiving whey protein concentrate as nutritional supplement will experience a greater gain in adverse anthropometric measures, and experience a decreased risk of relapse and death, compared with patients with tuberculosis, who do not receive nutritional supplement. 260 patients will be recruited from and included/randomized at 4 trial sites in Bissau, Guinea-Bissau (Bandim Health Center, Belem Health Center, Cuntum Health Center and Hospital Raoul Follereau). Patients randomized to the intervention arm will receive one package of whey protein concentrate (approx. 62.5g) per day for the duration of the 6-month long anti-tuberculous treatment. Patients will be followed bimonthly during the treatment period, with clinical examinations, blood sample analyses, and nutritional status and dietary intake assessments.