Development of pleural effusion in patients during anti-tuberculous chemotherapy: analysis of twenty-nine cases with review of literature

Abstract

Twenty-nine cases of tuberculosis developing pleural effusion (PE) during antituberculous chemotherapy (ATT) were analysed for clinical presentation and management outcome. Sixteen (55%) patients had pulmonary tuberculosis alone while rest had associated or isolated extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Thirteen (44.8%) patients developed PE during the 5th-8th week of chemotherapy and nine (31%) during 9th-12th week. Eighteen (62%) patients were on either HRZE or HRE while five (17.2%) were on SHRZ regimen before developing PE. All cases had exudative PE. Pleural fluid centrifuge was smear positive for AFB in two (6.8%) cases and culture positive for Mycobacterium tuberculosis in four (13.7%) cases. Pleural biopsy sections were negative for either AFB or tuberculous histology in 15 out of the 24 biopsies done. Twenty-four (82.7%) patients showed good response on the same ATT without modification. Development of PE during successful ATT seems to be an extension of paradoxical events having an immunological basis, which does not necessarily require any modification in chemotherapy.