[Clinical trial of forphenicinol for the lung infection with Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare complex].

Clinical evaluation of forphenicinol, a low molecular weight immunomodulator, in patients with Mycobacterium avium, Mycobacterium intracellulare complex pulmonary infections has been conducted in a multicenter trial participated by 9 institutions in Kyushu during a period of 12 months from July 1982 to August 1983. Forphenicinol was administered for 6 months without changing the regimen of antituberculous drugs used previously. The following results were obtained. 1. Ten out of 33 eligible patients were evaluated as showing good responses; In 5 of them, elimination of M. avium, M. intracellulare complex from sputum was observed. In the other 5 patients, number of bacilli excreted was decreased significantly after treatment. 2. All of the cases with good responses were those which were simultaneously administered with antituberculous drugs. 3. Patients with thick-walled cavities, following cured tuberculosis, which was superimposed with M. avium, M. intracellulare complex, were poorly responded to forphenicinol. 4. Side effects were observed in 3 out of 41 patients; 1 case each with fever, abdominal distension and anorexia. No abnormalities in laboratory test values were observed.