Effect of administration of rifampicin on the adrenocortical function in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.
Raghupati Sarma, G.; Chandra Immanuel; Krishnamurthy, P.V.;
Rani Balasubramanian; Geetha Ramachandran; Prabhakar, R.
Indian Journal of Tuberculosis; 1992; 39; 21-27.
Adrenocortical function was studied on admission and during treatment in 57 newly-diagnosed patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, 16 of whom were treated with a daily regimen containing Rifampicin (R-7), 22 with a twice-weekly regimen containing the same drug (R-2) and 19 with a daily regimen that did not contain Rifampicin (NR-7). In patients on daily treatment (R-7 and NR-7), there was a slight increase in plasma cortisol at 1 week followed by a decline; while the mean level last 4 weeks was similar to that on admission in the R-7 patients, that in the NR-7 patients was significantly lower (p < 0.01). No change was observed in the R-2 patients. A positive response to tetracosactrin was observed in the 7 R-7, 14 R-2 and 7 NR-7 patients on admission and in 6, 14 d 14, respectively at 4 weeks. The increase in the proportion of positive responders in the NR-7 patients was significant (p=0.05). On admission, the diurnal rhythm of the release of cortisol, assessed by changes in salivary cortisol, was disturbed in the patients with an evening rise in the cortisol levels; it had, however, reverted to a near-normal pattern after 2 months of treatment in all 3 groups of patients.
Back to List of publications / Home |