Short-course chemotherapy for pleural tuberculosis. Nine years' experience in routine treatment service

Short-course chemotherapy (SCC) for pulmonary tuberculosis for nine months with isoniazid (INH) and rifampin (RIF) is well established. However, there is still no report on results of such therapy in pleural disease. From January 1976 through December 1984, we treated 201 patients (average age 61.6 years) for pleural tuberculosis, 143 with SCC for nine months of mainly INH and RIF and 58 with conventional therapy (CT) for 18 to 24 months. Findings indicated that SCC with INH and RIF was as effective as in pulmonary tuberculosis. The results were equivalent or even better than CT given for prolonged periods.