[Long-term observation of pulmonary XXXX complex disease treated with chemotherapy-- following the guidelines for treatment].

@entity1 @entity378 @entity3069
OBJECTIVE: We performed a long-term retrospective investigation of pulmonary @entity3069 complex (MAC) disease treated with combined chemotherapy following the ATS guideline or the Japanese Society for @entity378 guideline. We also studied when to terminate the combined chemotherapy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects of this study consisted of 90 @entity1 who underwent combined chemotherapy according to these guidelines for minimum one-year period and followed up for at least one year since April, 1998. RESULTS: The mean @entity1 ' age was 64.8 years old and the gender distribution consisted of 34 males and 56 females. While the sputum negative conversion was observed in 54 of 90 @entity1 (60%), clinical improvement was recognized in 35 @entity1 (39%) following combined chemotherapy administered according to the guidelines. Out of 54 @entity1 with sputum conversion, 30 cases were followed up after the discontinuation of treatment, and sputum relapse later was seen in 18 @entity1 . Out of 24 @entity1 who continued the same treatment, sputum relapse was seen in 10 @entity1 . Out of 35 @entity1 with clinical improvement, 17 cases have been followed up after the discontinuation of treatment, clinical worsening was later recognized in 9 @entity1 . Out of 18 @entity1 who continued the same treatment, clinical worsening was recognized in 6 @entity1 . CONCLUSIONS: As the probability of sputum relapse after discontinuation of treatment was high even among @entity1 whose sputum converted to negative by combined treatment according to the guidelines, we think that it is better to continue treatment according to the guidelines as long as possible.
