Controlled clinical trial of four short-course regimens of chemotherapy for two durations in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. Second report. Third East African/British Medical Research Council Study.
Four short-course chemotherapy regimens for pulmonary tuberculosis have been compared: (1) streptomycin, isoniazid, rifampicin and pyrazinamide daily for 2 months followed by daily thiacetazone plus isoniazid; (2) the same 4 drugs daily for 1 month followed by thiacetazone plus isoniazid; (3) the same 4 drugs daily for 1 month followed by twice-weekly streptomycin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide; (4) the first regimen but without pyrazinamide in the initial intensive phase. Each regimen was given for 6 and 8 months and patients were followed up to 30 months. When given for 6 months the regimen with a 2-month 4-drug intensive phase had a bacteriological relapse rate of 13% and when given for 8 months there were no relapses. When pyrazinamide was omitted in the first 2 months the relapse rates were 18% for the 6-month and 6% for the 8-month series. The regimen with the 4-drug initial phase shortened to 1 month had relapse rates of 18% and 7% respectively if the continuation phase was thiacetazone plus isoniazid. However, the relapse rates were lower, 9% and 2% respectively, when the continuation phase was twice-weekly streptomycin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011897:Random Allocation; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013828:Thioacetazone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013997:Time Factors; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D011718:Pyrazinamide; D013828:Thioacetazone; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin; D013307:Streptomycin