title: A comparative evaluation of drug combinations used in the treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis.
abstract: A retrospective analysis was undertaken of the hospital records of 185 patients admitted for the first time for treatment of pulmonary tuberculosis. The time to sputum conversion was used to evaluate the efficacy of short-course antituberculosis therapy and to determine the effect of including rifampicin (RMP) in various chemotherapeutic combinations. RMP per se was not found to be a significant variable in the drug combinations studied. The combination of RMP and pyrazinamide, however, showed greater efficacy in achieving earlier sputum conversion. The therapeutic advantage of using these two drugs in combination should be more readily appreciated.
mesh_terms: D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D011718:Pyrazinamide; D012293:Rifampin