[Effectiveness of treatment with rifampicin and isoniazid in association with ethambutol or prothionamide in patients with recently detected pulmonary tuberculosis].

In newly discovered patients with cavitary forms of pulmonary tuberculosis treatment with rifampicin, in association with other drugs, leads to recovery (negativation) in 69,6 percent of the patients in 3 months, in 92 per cent after 6 months and in 94,6 percent after 9 months of treatment. Closure of cavities is found in 23,4 percent, 64,5 percent and 76,6 percent of all patients at the corresponding time intervals. Comparisons of the various regimens of chemotherapy which include rifampicin showed that the maximal efficiency was obtained with rifampicin, ioniazid and a third drug (either etambutol or protionamide). The time intervals for the disappearence of bacilli and for the closure of cavities depend to a great extent on the degree of development of the pathological process, on the type of the lesions and the intensity of bacilli elimination at the start of the treatment. The use of rifampicin in new patients, in association with other drugs, leads to a rapid negativation, a shortening of the time necessary for the closure of cavities, especially in patients in whom the disappearence of the bacilli from the sputum occurs in the first three months.