HIGH-DOSE ETHAMBUTOL - ROLE IN INTERMITTENT CHEMOTHERAPY - 6-YEAR STUDY

Abstract

The outcome of 81 [tuberculosis] patients receiving supervised ambulatory treatment with twice-weekly isoniazid and ethambutol is reported. The patients were divided into 2 groups, one of which received its entire outpatient treatment with isoniazid and ethambutol, the other receiving isoniazid and ethambutol after initial treatment with isoniazid and streptomycin. In both groups, there was a 100% favorable response at completion of therapy and no relapses detected among those patients followed after treatment. The results were compared with other studies of intermittent-supervised therapy and it was concluded that twice-weekly isoniazid and ethambutol given up to 18 mo. after an adequate phase of daily treatment is a highly effective and well-tolerated regimen.