title: [Efficacy and tolerance of the treatment of tuberculosis in the aged].
abstract: We analyzed 55 confirmed cases of tuberculosis in patients over 65, a sample that amounted to 9% of all patients seen in our practice over a period of 5 years. Mean age was 72.4 and the male/female ratio was 4/1. The most frequently associated diseases were tobacco addiction (49%), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (33%), alcoholism (25%) and prior diagnosis of tuberculosis (20%). Lung involvement was the most common clinical presentation (76%), followed by pleural (9%) and skeletal (7%) involvement. The clinical picture was non specific, with 13% remaining asymptomatic. Cough was the most frequent symptom (45%) and unilateral apical fibrosis with ulceration was the most frequent radiological finding. Pleural discharge and cavitation were demonstrated in 14 and 22%, respectively. Scarring was visible on X-rays in 44%. The tuberculin test was positive in 88% of the cases in which it was performed. Mean delay in diagnosis was 3.4 months; 62% were diagnosed by sputum test, 11% by culture, and 27% histology. In 4% death was directly caused by tuberculosis. Three patients withdrew from treatment, in one case treatment failed, and there was one relapse detected at follow-up. We observed adverse side effects in 33%, and found no statistically significant differences between the 2 therapeutic protocols used (2 months RHS/7 months RH and 2 months RHZS/4 months RH). The incidence of tuberculosis among the elderly is low in our practice and the entity behaves much as it does in the rest of the adult population. Both the efficacy and tolerance of treatment can be considered optimal.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neumología, Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Badalona, Barcelona.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Aguilar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ruiz
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fernández-Muixí
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Teixidó
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gallego
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ribas
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Richart
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morera
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004361:Drug Tolerance; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007538:Isoniazid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D008297:Male; D012293:Rifampin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014376:Tuberculosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology
chemical_list: D000904:Antibiotics, Antitubercular; D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D004977:Ethambutol; D007538:Isoniazid; D012293:Rifampin