[Infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis in persons over 60 years of age]

To study the specific features of infiltrative pulmonary tuberculosis and its treatment efficiency in patients over 60 years, the authors analyzed case histories of 80 patients who were divided into 2 groups: 1) 40 patients aged 60 years or more and 2) 40 patients aged 18 to 50 years. The types of adaptive reactions (L. Kh. Garkavi et al., 1977) and those of the body's responsiveness (N. A. Brazhenko, 1987) were studied; the leukocytic shift index (N. I. Yabluchansky, et al., 1983) was calculated. The efficiency of treatment was evaluated from the results of control bacteriological and X-ray studies conducted after 2-, 5-, and 8-month drug therapy. The persons over 60 years of age were significantly more frequently (p < 0.05) diagnosed as having concomitant diseases (mainly coronary heart disease (65%), arterial hypertension (50%), chronic bronchitis (50%), atherosclerosis of central and peripheral arteries (35%), and adverse reactions caused by antituberculous drugs (75% versus 40%; among them there were prevalent neurotoxic and cardiotoxic reactions). Despite the fact that the results of treatment in this group of patients did not differ from those in young persons, which may be attributable to better compliance in patients above 60 years of age.