Adverse effects of antitubercular drugs and significance of measurement of the drug-stimulating lymphocyte transformation rate.

An analysis of the adverse effects appearing in 101 patients during at least 4 months of chemotherapy for newly detected pulmonary tuberculosis between September, 1985 and July, 1987 was performed. These patients received isoniazid, rifampicin and ethambutol daily (HRE) or isoniazid and rifampicin daily, and streptomycin three times weekly (HRS3). Adverse effects appeared in 90 patients (90%). Of the 101 patients, 53.5% experienced eosinophilia, 42.6% itching, 25.7% eruption and 19.8% liver damage. Of 25 patients receiving streptomycin, 13 (52%) experienced tinnitus. Liver damage appeared more frequently in males than females. Neutropenia occurred in 31.0% of females, but in only 2.8% of males. In patients who developed severe but reversible adverse effects, such as liver damage, skin eruption and neutropenia, evaluation of the drug-stimulating lymphocyte transformation rate (DLTR) was performed. The results suggest that evaluation of the DLTR may be useful in determining which drugs may cause adverse effects, including liver damage, skin eruption and neutropenia.