Prednisolone in the treatment of acute extensive pulmonary tuberculosis in West Africans

A controlled trial has been undertaken to determine whether prednisolone, added to standard chemotherapy, hastens clinical and radiographic improvement, and clears the sputum more rapidly of tubercle bacilli, in acute extensive pulmonary tuberculosis in West Africans, during a short period of hospital treatment. Forty nine cases were treated with prednisolone combined with chemotherapy, and fifty one with chemotherapy alone. Clinical improvement was more rapid in the prednisolone treated group, particularly in those severely ill or in poor condition, during the first month of treatment. There were no significant differences in respect of weight change, radiographic clearing or cavity closure. Clearance of bacilli from the sputum was not hastened, and an initial rise in the bacterial count was noted in the prednisolone treated cases. A well marked rise in the circulating white cells (including a rise in eosinophils) was observed in the prednisolone cases. © 1960.