Tuberculosis emerging in patients treated with corticosteroids.
Corticosteroid therapy is held to facilitate activity of tuberculous disease. This retrospective study is an analysis of 1355 patients suffering from tuberculosis who had been discharged from a chest hospital during a 9-year period starting in 1971. Those on corticosteroid therapy for the last 6 months prior to diagnosis, were included. There were no new cases of tuberculosis among these, but 40 patients or 3 per cent had reactivation of former disease. The findings should be representative of the national prevalence. Despite increasing use of corticosteroids, there is no indication that the number of reactivated cases associated with such treatment has increased during the years. A majority of our patients were suffering from serious corticosteroid-demanding diseases which might in themselves be as causative as the drug therapy in activating the tuberculosis.
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009664:Norway; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology*
D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones