Is a 9-month treatment sufficient in tuberculous enterocolitis? A prospective, randomized, single-centre study.
BACKGROUND
Tuberculosis has increased in parallel with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome epidemic and the use of immunosuppressive therapy, and the growing incidence of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis, especially with intestinal involvement, reflects this trend. However, the duration of anti-tuberculous therapy has not been clarified in intestinal tuberculosis.


OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of different treatment durations in tuberculous enterocolitis in terms of response and recurrence rates.


METHODS
Forty patients with tuberculous enterocolitis were randomized prospectively: 22 patients into a 9-month and 18 into a 15-month group. Diagnosis was made either by colonoscopic findings of discrete ulcers and histopathological findings of caseating granuloma and/or acid-fast bacilli, or by clinical improvement after therapeutic trial. Patients were followed up with colonoscopy every other month until complete response or treatment completion, and then every 6 months for 1 year and annually. Complete response was defined as a resolution of symptoms and active tuberculosis by colonoscopy.


RESULTS
Complete response was obtained in all patients in both groups. Two patients in the 9-month group and one in the 15-month group underwent operation due to intestinal obstruction and perianal fistula, respectively. No recurrence of active intestinal tuberculosis occurred during the follow-up period in either group.


CONCLUSIONS
Tuberculous enterocolitis can be managed by 9-month chemotherapy without disease recurrence. Further investigations are needed in immunocompromised patients.
Kim
S G
SG
Department of Internal Medicine, Liver Research Institute, Seoul National University College of Medicine and Clinical Research Institute, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea.
Kim
J S
JS
Jung
H C
HC
Song
I S
IS
D000328:Adult; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003113:Colonoscopy / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014385:Tuberculosis, Gastrointestinal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*
D000995:Antitubercular Agents