Outcome of pulmonary tuberculosis with single destructive cavity depending on its size

Abstract In the course of chemotherapy of 685 pulmonary tuberculosis patients, great differences in the period of time needed for the cavity closure depending on the dimensions of the latter were found. These dimensions were sub-divided into three groups: less than 2 cm (most often up to 1.5 cm), 2-4 cm, and 5 cm or over. With cavitation of equal dimensions there was no evident relationship between the closure period of cavities and the extension of focal and infiltrative changes in the lungs. Tuberculin therapy could increase the treatment efficacy of the patients belonging to the first two groups of cavitation and did not influence greatly the closure of large-size cavities. Much shorter time and higher closure rate of these cavities were achieved with the use of an intensive complex treatment. The paper discusses whether it is advisable to develop methods for differential therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis patients with varying cavity dimensions.