THE AMBULATORY TREATMENT OF PATIENTS HOSPITALIZED WITH PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS

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Abstract
Military patients admitted to this Army hospital with previously untreated tuberculosis were divided into 3 groups: pleural effusion, minimal pulmonary tuberculosis, moderate and far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis. Patients in each group were picked by random selection for management with either modified bed rest or with free ambulation. All patients were treated with streptomycin, 2 g every three days, and isoniazid 300 mg daily. Resectional surgery was added as indicated at 6 to 8 months of treatment. Patients were evaluated by roentgenographic improvement and cavity closure at 4 months, 6 months and 8 months, and by bacterio-logic conversion during this period. Symptomatic patients, those with persistent fever over 100[degree]F, were excluded from the study. Two hundred and three patients with moderate and far advanced disease and 108 patients with minimal tuberculosis were included in the study. After 8 months of treatment all patients in both groups were bacterio-logically negative and there was little difference in the degree of roentgenographic improvement and cavity closure. It was felt that liberalization of bed rest policies had produced little if any difference in the end results of treatment of this group of patients.

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