Persisting alveolitis in miliary tuberculosis despite treatment with short-course chemotherapy.
Bronchoalveolar lavages in two patients with miliary tuberculosis have shown lymphocytic alveolitis. A 6-month regimen with an initial intensive 2-month phase resulted in remarkable clinical and radiographic improvement in both. However, bronchoalveolar lavage following treatment has shown that there was a persistence of lymphocytic alveolitis, though with reduced intensity. The significance of the persisting alveolitis, despite treatment, is not known at present. There is also a suggestion that compartment-alisation of lymphocytes may occur in miliary tuberculosis of the lung.
Vijayan
V K
VK
Cardio-Pulmonary Medicine Unit, Tuberculosis Research Centre, (ICMR), Madras.
Jawahar
M S
MS
Reetha
A M
AM
Prabhakar
R
R
D000328:Adult; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008875:Middle Aged; D011650:Pulmonary Alveoli / Q000473:pathology; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000209:etiology*; D014391:Tuberculosis, Miliary / Q000150:complications*; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications*