Diagnostic features and therapeutic outcome of erosive and ulcerous endobronchial tuberculosis.
OBJECTIVE
Erosive and ulcerous endobronchial tuberculosis (EBTB) is distinct from pulmonary tuberculosis in some aspects. We evaluated the clinical features of 56 patients (26 males and 30 females) with EBTB to characterize the clinical features of the disease.


RESULTS
The chief complaint in 70% of patients was intractable cough, particularly in those with tracheal tuberculosis. The predominant radiological features were patchy bi-apical infiltrates of variable intensity without cavitation; for six patients, however, plain radiographs revealed no abnormalities. The ulcerous lesions could be classified into three stages: active, healing and scarring. Furthermore, we divided scarring stage into two subtypes, polypoid and non-polypoid. Most of the patients were treated with isoniazid, rifampin, and streptomycin (SM) or ethambutol. Approximately one-third of the patients, not randomly selected, were treated with aerosolized SM and corticosteroids in addition to conventional oral therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
EBTB involves typical clinical and radiographic features. In this uncontrolled series, it was our impression that the period of time to healing of ulcerous lesions seemed to be shorter in those treated with aerosol therapy including streptomycin and corticosteroids.
Rikimaru
T
T
Department of Internal Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Kinosita
M
M
Yano
H
H
Ichiki
M
M
Watanabe
H
H
Shiraisi
T
T
Huruno
H
H
Ookubo
Y
Y
Oizumi
K
K
Kondo
M
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001982:Bronchial Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D014456:Ulcer
D000995:Antitubercular Agents; D005938:Glucocorticoids