Pulmonary tuberculosis in patients treated with inhaled beclomethasone

Allergy. 1992 Aug;47(4 Pt 1):327-30. doi: 10.1111/j.1398-9995.1992.tb02063.x.

Abstract

Inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) has been used with few side-effects in the treatment of bronchial asthma for 2 decades. Until now the manifestation of tuberculosis (TB) in patients on inhaled BDP has not been reported. Eight patients with allergic asthma, of a total of 548 asthmatics (1.46%) seen over a 2-year period, developed active TB following the use of inhaled BDP. All were sputum-positive for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) on smear and/or culture, all responded well to a combination of anti-TB drugs, and none showed evidence of immunological or pituitary-adrenal suppression. Two patients agreed to a repeat administration of BDP; both developed TB again within 2 weeks and are again on anti-TB treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Inhalation
  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Asthma / drug therapy
  • Beclomethasone / administration & dosage
  • Beclomethasone / adverse effects*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / isolation & purification
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / etiology*

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Beclomethasone