Steroid-treated tuberculous pleural effusions

Abstract

A comparison is made of the progress with regard to resolution of fluid of 16 steroid-treated and 14 otherwise-treated acute tuberculous effusions of recent onset.

In the cases treated with ACTH (40 units daily) or prednisone (20 mg. daily) supported by streptomycin and isoniazid, the fluid absorbed dramatically without the need for other than diagnostic aspiration.