In 1984, CSUCT surveyed the clinical course of 594 cases who had been hospitalized in 36 national sanatoria from 1975 to 1979. All cases had been excreting tubercle bacilli for more than two years.
The results are as follows;
1. 251 cases (42.3%) died of pulmonary tuberculosis, and 44 cases (7.4%) became negative for excretion.
2. The mean death rate during five years from 1975 to 1979 was 8.9%. Chronic excretors showed maximum death rate (11.1%) in the 7th year from the initiation of excretion.
3. The causes of chronic excretor's death were respiratory failure (29%), hemoptysis (28%), general weakness (20%), acute aggravation (18%) and others (5%).
4. Wide cavitary lesion war an indication of the poorest prognosis. Advanced age, massive excretion, small vital capacity (less than 40%), bacteriai resistance to RFP, pulmonary complication were the main factors to worsen the clinical course.
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