The study subjects consisted of 14 pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) patients with collagen disease. They are under corticosteroid treatment and the mean age is 56.4 years. The length of time from the development of collagen disease to the development of PTB averaged 4.1 years. The breakdown of collagen disease are SLE (6 patients), MCTD (3 Patients), PN (2 patients), and PSS, PM, Sjogren syndrome (1 case, each).
Thirteen cases were bacilli positive by the sputum examination on admission to our hospital. Chest X-ray findings on admission revealed cavitation in 3 cases and noncavitation in 11 cases, of which 5 cases had miliary tuberculosis. Corticosteroid preparation had been administered to all of the 14 cases for more than one year. The mean dose of corticosteroid preparation administered when PTB developed was 13.9mg (predonisolone) and it was more than 20mg in 8 cases. The median duration from the start of the respiratory symptoms to diagnosis was 39.2 days. The delay in the discovery exceeding 1 month were seen in 9 cases.
In the cases of collagen disease, when the disease course extends over a long period of time, and even when the dose of corticosteroid preparations are decreased, there is a need to be note on the risk of developing PTB. There are many non-cavitary cases with sputum smear positive. The fact suggested that an appropriate diagnosis is need so that the discovery of PTB should not be delayed.
