The subjects were taken at random among the 960 in-Patients of minimal, moderately
advanced and far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis patients, who had been admitted to
chest clinic of Severance hospitalin last two years. Those who had no previous anti-Tb
chemotherapy, no intra or extrapulmoary complications and no history of the
administration of steroid or ordinary antibiotics were 194, 20.2% of the whole number of
960. Among these 194 patients, 73(37.6%) had the temperature of above normal limits.
Miliary tuberculosis of the lung was not included here, and the most of the patients
were adult typed tuberculosis. The fever was usually subsided around 4 days (1∼
15days) after the administration of triple primary anti-Tb drugs. We also have observed
that those who had anemia were more prone to febrile reactions. Among the 73, febrile
patients, 61 patients (83%) had the hemoglobin concentration of below 10 gm %.
Besides, there were no particular relationships noticed between the febrile reaction of
tuberculosis and the presence of AFB in sputum, daily amount of sputum, leukocyte
counts in the peripheral blood or the presence of hemoptysis.
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