A Study of " Tebafen " in Chronic Pulmonary Tuberculosis.

Summary ‘Tebafen’ was given to 25 patients with chronic sputum positive pulmonary tuberculosis whose organisms were either sensitive or of only a low degree of resistance to isoniazid. Treatment was continued for six months in 20 patients and for one year in 10 patients. Clinical improvement was noted in 21 patients and radiographic improvement in 3. The sputum was rendered negative in 26 per cent at six months and in 35 per cent at twelve months. Resistance to isoniazid developed in 30 per cent of the patients after six months and in 47 per cent after one year. The results of this small trial suggest that in chronic pulmonary tuberculosis the use of ‘Tebafen’, as opposed to isoniazid alone, may diminish to some extent the emergence of resistance to isoniazid. In such cases too, ‘Tebafen’ would appear to be comparable in efficacy to the more toxic combinations containing cycloserine or pyrazinamide.