Radiological changes and progress in patient with pulmonary Tuberculosis following treatment with daily versus intermittent short course regimens

Abstract

This is a prospective comparative randomized study carried out at Kosti teaching hospital 2006-2008.
Objectives: to determine the radiological findings and to evaluate the radiological progress in patient with pulmonary Tuberculosis treated with daily versus intermittent short course regimens.
Methodology: A total of 275 smear positive new cases of Tuberculosis were enrolled and randomized in to two groups, intermittent group (A) and daily regimen group (B) .X-Ray film was done initially and at the end of treatment for each patient.
Results: It was found that 31% of the X-Ray films were normal.  Concerning the progress of minimal lesion significantly high percentage improved to normal X-Ray 58% in group A and 53 % in group B , 42 % in group A and 40 % in group B stayed as minimal lesion. The results of far
advanced lesion revealed that intermittent regimen improved 16.6% of the films to normal and minimal lesion , 8.3 % to moderate lesion, 33.3 % moderately advanced lesion and 25 % remained unchanged, while in the daily regimen , 21 % improved to normal and minimal lesion , 5.2 % to
moderate lesion , 27 % to moderately advanced lesion and 27.6 %. Statistical analysis revealed a significant difference between the two groups.
Conclusion: Conversion of minimal lesions to normal X-Ray was  significantly higher in the intermittent group and the conversion of far advanced lesions to normal was significantly higher in the daily regimen.