We examined physical and blood statuses of 24 patients with pulmonary M. avium complexdisease who entered our hospital from April 1993 to March 1997. Ten patients (41.7%) were diagnosed as primary infection type and 14 patients (58.3%) as secondary infection type. Twenty-four patients were classified to the following two groups: Group A was 14 patients who converted to MAC negative within six months after the admissionand group B was 10 patients who continued to excrete MAC for more than six months after the admission. We made a comparison between group A and group B as to the re -sults of physical and blood examinations on admission. Mean value of %IBW in group B was significantly lower (group B: 74.4±8.9%, group A: 82.9±12.7%, p<0.05) thanthat of group A. The level of serum albumin in group B was significantly lower (group B: 3.39±0.53g/dl, group A: 3.99±0.45g/dl, p<0.01) than that of group A. ChE in group B was significantly lower (group B: 321.2±94.5IU/l, group A: 442.9±148.4IU/l, p<0.05) than that of group A. Group B was nutritionally depleted than group A. In conclusion, these findings suggested that nutritional support should be taken into consideration incombination with conventional chemotherapy in treating chronic, intractable MAC disease.
