[Asthma and tuberculosis (considerations based on hospital case studies)]

The relationship between bronchic asthma and tuberculosis has stimulated the greatest interest and most controversy. The present paper refers to 55 cases, i.e. 29 males (52%) and 26 females (48%). Most of the men were over 50 and the women over the age of 40 years. In 50 cases (90%) bronchial asthma developed 6 to 25 years after the tb lesions had become stable. Only 5 cases (10%) presented bronchial asthma with evolutive pulmonary tb. Although tuberculin hyperergy was encountered in 26 cases (47%) in none of the cases could a diagnosis of tuberculin asthma be established. In the group studied, the patients' age, the clinical and evolutive aspect of the bronchial asthma lists in the group of late asthmas. Against the background of the postuberculosis syndrome, the evolution of asthma is as a rule severe. Similarly, asthma accompanied by evolutive pulmonary tb, is in general very severe, hypersecretory and suprainfected with common germs.