Abstract: Objective To evaluate the effect on drug-induced hepatitis in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and potential drug-induced hepatitis and its sputum smear negative conversion with interfered measures when anti-tuberculosis agent was given. MethodsThis retrospective study including 243 patients, who hospitalized in our hospital from January 1, 1996 to December 31, 2006, with initial treatment smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis and with potential drug induced hepatitis was performed. The incidence of drug induced hepatitis and the rate of sputum smear negative conversion were analyzed between the group patients with interfered measures and another group patients without interfere measures when they were given with first line anti-tuberculosis agent. ResultsThere were only 11 patients associated with drug induced hepatitis in 126 patients with interfered measures when given with anti-tuberculosis agent. However, 42 patients associated with drug induced hepatitis in 117 patients without interfered measures when given with anti-tuberculosis agent. The rate of drug induced hepatitis among the group patients with interfered measures was lower than that of group patients without interfered measures with statistically significant difference(P<0.01). But the rate of sputum smear negative conversion after two months treatment were 62.7% (79/126)and 64.1%(75/117) between two group patients with no statistically significant difference(P>0.05).ConclusionsInterfered measures should be performed in advance to patients with pulmonary tuberculosis associated with high risk factor of drug induced hepatitis, such as the elderly,and patients with virus hepatitis,hepatitis virus carrier,,malnutrition, fatty liver,alcohol addiction.

Key words: pulmonary tuberculosis, drug induced hepatitis, sputum smear negative conversion