Abstract
For the purpose of evaluating the diagnostic value of the Takahashi test, a joint study was undertaken in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis who were under treatment in five national sanatoriums in Hokkaido. Periodical readings of the test were compared with the process and long-range outcome of the disease.
The study led to the following results:
1) In case of pulmonary tuberculosis, titers of the test were found to correlate to a high degree with types of disease, existence of cavities, culture positivity and disease activity. Little difference in correlation was noticed at the beginning, the sixth and the twelveth monthh of the experiment.
2) In patients who underwent surgical treatments, the Kaolin-titers became better in almost all the cases by six to nine months following operation, irrespective of the sorts of surgical treatment.
The improvement of Kaolin-titer was found best in successful resected cases without residual lesion, followed by resected cases with residual lesion and collapse-therapy cases; in the latter two cases the betterment was much alike.
In operated cases, the Kaolin-ctiterso incided with positivity and negativity in culture.
3) In case of primary treatment, patients tended to show a clear improvement of Kaolin-titer in course of the treatment.
4) Close relationship was found between Kaolin-titer and outcome of patients at the leave.
5) Again, close relationship existed between Kaolin-titer at the leave and outcome of patients from one and a half to three years afterward.
The preceding facts can be said to credit the Takahashi test with a high diagnostic value.
