Rifampin-containing chemotherapy for pulmonary tuberculosis associated with coal workers' pneumoconiosis

The outcomes of 20 anthracite miners with coal workers' pneumoconiosis and culture-proved pulmonary tuberculosis treated with rifampin-containing chemotherapeutic regimens were determined by a retrospective review. Their mean age was 65 yr, and the duration of underground dust exposure averaged 27 yr. Nine miners had simple pneumoconiosis, 11 had progressive massive fibrosis, and 13 had cavitary disease; 3 also had extrapulmonary disease. All patients were given rifampin (mean, 12 months in survivors) plus one or more other effective agents; the mean duration of treatment with 2 or more drugs was 17 months. Follow-up averaged 46 months in those surviving more than 1 yr. Sputum cultures became negative and remained so within 3 months in 17 patients and within 5 months in the remainder. Eighteen patients survived more than 1 yr after completing chemotherapy. No clinical, radiologic, or bacteriologic relapses were observed during follow-up, but 5 patients died of nontuberculous causes. These results are superior to those reported previously in patients with coal workers' pneumoconiosis treated for pulmonary tuberculosis with regimens not containing rifampin. They suggest that treatment of tuberculosis in coal workers, even in the presence of progressive massive fibrosis and cavitary disease, can yield results as favorable as in nonpneumoconiotic patients provided the initial treatment regimen includes rifampin plus one or more other effective agents.