1974 Volume 49 Issue 5 Pages 133-138
A regimen using Rifampicin every other day might be one of the proper regimen of RFP treatment, if the lag time of tubercle bacilli, the incidence of side-effects and the cost of the drug are taken into consideration. The RFP every other day regimen was applied to 36 cases of severe pulmonary tuberculosis who failed to be cured by chemotherapy and showing resistance to almost all anti-tuberculous drugs except EB. RFP in a dose of 450 mg was given every other day 60 minutes before the breakfast, and EB in a dose of 750 mg was given daily after the breakfast.
After 6 months' treatment, tubercle bacilli in sputum converted to negative in 67% on culture. Among cases remained sputum positive, the emergence of RFP resistance was observed already 2 months after starting RFP treatment, and the majority of strains showed complete resistance to 50 mcg/ml RFP. Chest X-ray findings showed no changes in most of the cases.
Two cases dropped out from the treatment; one case soon after starting treatment d ue to eruption, and another case at 5th month by death due to encephalomalacia. As the side-effects, albuminuria was seen in 5 cases, thrombocytopenia in 2 cases, and the increase of eosinophiles in 5 cases, and all of them were transient. Slight increase of serum transaminase was seen in 8 cases, and the slight elevation of serum bilirubin in 5 cases. Eight cases complained gastrointestinal disturbances, but all of them were slight and RFP was not interrupted.
Summarizing the results mentioned above, a regimen using RFP every o t her day with EB daily could be evaluated as a effective and safe regimen.
