Ethambutol Compared to Streptomycin in Original Treatment of Advanced Pulmonary Tuberculosis

¹ Associate Professor of Medicine, The Albert Einstein College of Medicine

In this randomized three year study of the primary treatment of 332 patients with cavitary or far advanced pulmonary tuberculosis, ethambutol (EMB) was compared to streptomycin (SM). One hundred eighty days of SM was compared to 180 days of EMB with each drug part of a three-drug regimen including isoniazid (INH) and para-aminosalicylic acid (PAS). A regimen of EMB-INH was compared to the three-drug regimens. The losses to the study due to drug usage showed differences with definite significance in favor of the EMB-INH regimen. The losses were due particularly to reactions to PAS, less often to SM. There were a few instances of intolerance to INH. No patient had definite evidence of retrobulbar neuritis due to EMB. The findings indicated no significant superiority of 180 days of SM compared to 180 days of EMB combined with INH and PAS. The EMB-INH regimen appeared as effective as the three drug combinations.