Iwo

Tuberculosis (TB) is a serious infectious disease causing millions of cases and deaths globally, with a high burden in developing countries like Nigeria. TB mainly affects young adults and is worsened by HIV infection. Current TB treatments are long and challenging, leading to poor compliance and drug resistance. Researchers are studying whether atorvastatin, a cholesterol-lowering drug, can improve TB treatment by making the bacteria more vulnerable and reducing lung damage. Previous Phase II studies showed atorvastatin to be safe and possibly effective, warranting further investigation in this Phase IIC trial. This trial is a multicenter, randomized, open-label study comparing four treatment arms: standard TB drugs alone or combined with daily atorvastatin at doses of 20 mg, 40 mg, or 60 mg for 16 weeks. All participants receive standard anti-TB treatment for 24 weeks. The study will evaluate safety, how quickly the bacteria disappear from sputum, improvements in chest X-rays, and lung function. Participants will be followed closely for 12 months after starting treatment. Participants aged 12 to 65 with confirmed pulmonary TB will have multiple assessments including sputum tests, blood tests, lung function and chest X-rays at various points during and after treatment. Researchers will monitor safety by recording any serious side effects and will measure treatment effectiveness by the time to stable bacterial clearance and disease-free survival at six months. This extended follow-up aims to provide detailed data to support future larger trials.