Abstract: Objective To evaluate the nutritional status of the patients with pulmonary tuberculosis and discuss the effect of nutritional support in the treatment of tuberculosis. Methods A total of 398 subjects with pulmonary tuberculosis were randomly allocated into two groups(the nutritional support group and the general treatment group).Conventional therapy was same in two groups,and the general treatment group ate freely while the nutritional support group was provided with additional high-protein enteral nutrition formulations. Results Body mass index,triceps,skinfold thickness,albumin and total lymphocyte count increased significantly in the nutritional support group and were higher than those of the normal treatment group,and the conversion rate of sputum culture in the nutritional support group was significantly higher than that of the normal treatment group(P<0.05). Conclusion The intake of dietary nutrition was inadequate and the high proportion of the malnutrition was high in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis.The nutritional support therapy has great effect in alleviating the clinical symptoms and reducing hospitalization duration..

Key words: pulmonary tuberculosis, malnutrition, nutritional support therapy