Nine-Month Chemotherapy for Pulmonary Tuberculosis

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Abstract
There is extensive favorable worldwide experience with short-course chemotherapy (SCC) for pulmonary tuberculosis. It has not yet been shown, however, that daily, unsupervised SCC would be efficacious in the United States, especially in large urban centers where compliance rates are poor and alcohol abuse is common. From January 1977 to February 1980, 75 patients began treatment using SCC combining isoniazid and rifampin for nine months, accompanied by ethambutol during the first 60 days. This report describes results achieved under "field conditions" with all medications self-administered except during the first few days of hospitalization. Forty-nine patients successfully completed this regimen. No patients failed chemotherapy during treatment and no relapses have occurred during follow-up through June 1981. There were no serious drug-related side effects. This study supports the results of similar studies conducted in other countries and provides further evidence that this regimen can be adopted more widely in this country.

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