Efficacy and safety of intravenous chemotherapy during intensive treatment phase in patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis

Aims and objectives: The purpose of our study was to examine the efficacy and safety of intravenous chemotherapy during intensive treatment phase in patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary tuberculosis (pulmonary TB). Methods: The study involved 92 patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary TB aged between 20 and 68. All patients with newly diagnosed pulmonary TB and chemosensitive tuberculosis were enrolled in the study. The patients were allocated to two groups. The first (control) group of 46 patients received standard chemotherapy orally. The second (main) group consisted of 46 patients who were prescribed isoniazid, rifampin, ethambutol by i.v. infusion, and pyrazinamide orally as a part of the standard treatment. Results: Symptoms of intoxication and chest manifestations in pulmonary TB patients from the second group were eliminated faster than the same symptoms in the group 1. In the group 2, the mycobacterial clearance in sputum smears was achieved more rapidly, and up to 2 months it was reached in 37 patients (80.43%), while in the control group in 25 patients (54.35%),p = 0.0066. Destruction healing and inflitrative change alleviation after 4 months was reached in 38 patients (82.61%) (in control group — 28 (60.87%), (p = 0.0192). No additional negative effects were detected when compared with the control group at any time. Conclusions: Thanks to i.v. chemotherapy, clinical manifestations of the in-patients with pulmonary TB were eliminated faster, severe side effects of anti-TB drugs were not noticed, time of bacterial clearance and healing of destruction was shorter, healing frequency of destructions increased and the of residual changes decreased.