title: A controlled clinical trial of short-course chemotherapy for tuberculoma of the brain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The efficacy of a short-course regimen in the treatment of brain tuberculoma and computerised tomography (CT) scan appearance before, during and after antituberculosis treatment was studied in a controlled clinical trial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients aged over 5 years with tuberculoma of the brain diagnosed by CT scan were randomly allocated to one of the following 2 regimens: Regimen 1: rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide daily for an initial 3 months followed by rifampicin and isoniazid twice-weekly for 6 months. Regimen 2: rifampicin, isoniazid and pyrazinamide thrice-weekly for an initial 3 months followed by rifampicin and isoniazid twice-weekly for 6 months. The patients were followed intensively for 2 years from the start of treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 108 patients analysed (regimen 1: 56, regimen 2: 52), at the end of treatment clinical status was normal in 91% in regimen 1 and 88% in regimen 2. Of the 91 patients with scan assessments, CT scan lesions disappeared at 24 months in 77% of 47 patients in regimen 1 and 80% of 44 in regimen 2, and in both groups 88% of the patients were clinically normal. None had relapses requiring treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Short-course regimens of 9 months' duration are effective in the treatment of tuberculoma of the brain; clinical recovery was faster than scan clearance.
authors.affiliation: Tuberculosis Research Centre, Madras, Tamil Nadu, India.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Rajeswari
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sivasubramanian
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balambal
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parthasarathy
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ranjani
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Santha
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Somasundaram
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganapathy
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sudarsana
authors.forename: Z A
authors.initials: ZA
authors.lastname: Sayeed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D002648:Child; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011718:Pyrazinamide / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016862:Tuberculoma, Intracranial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D011718:Pyrazinamide; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin