Observation on haematological patterns in pulmonary tuberculosis in Nigerians.

Twenty-one cases of pulmonary tuberculosis seen in the last two years in the chest clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan were studied for their haematological patterns at diagnosis and three months after. One group was put on anti-tuberculosis drugs only while the other group was put on anti-tuberculosis drugs and oral iron. The haematological results after 3 months show a significant rise in packed cell volume (PCV) less than 0.01 in the group given oral suppliments. Megaloblastic bone marrow changes occurred in 20 per cent of the patients after 3 months. Seventy-five per cent of the patients had myeloid hyperplasia of the bone marrow at diagnosis and only one of the patients had hypoplastic marrow. It is suggested that oral iron and folate be added to anti-tuberculosis therapy in these patients as part of their management.