Saturday, July 24, 2021

TREAT OR NOT TREAT

   In out life we often have to make decision daily as to do things this way or that way . Take this road or do highway. order this food or that food . Take a phone call from this person or not . But in medicine we make the decision which is some times more complex that ordering topping on pizza. In many cases the flexibility of decision is not there. If I see elevated blood pressure or blood sugar, there is no question about if we should treat it or not .We treat it -period. But in certain other condition, we have to make a decision. This brings me to the story for today. 

   I saw this 91 years old male patient for the cough . He had cough off and on for 3-4 months  and he had no shortness of breath or other complaints . He was not a smoker and though was 91 years old , he was overall OK . He had some memory problems but lived by himself  and had not lost weight or had fever . He did not have history of asthma or gastroesophageal reflux - the 2 most common causes of chronic cough The Chest X- ray was done  and that had nothing impressive but some upper lobe scars. So I did some more testing . I di CT scan of chest and that showed some upper lobe scars  and some other abnormality that could go for Old TB. I was concerned  and so I did not do breathing test  and instead I gave him an inhaler for possible asthma  and I asked him to do sputum for tb bacteria. I had planned for doing the breathing test, but his sputum came showing that it was growing TB bacteria. This was preliminary  and the final report in case of TB can take as much as 6 weeks . Some times we can get report in 3-4 weeks if the TB bacteria is of type that grows fast . I had planned to do breathing test but I cancelled it till I get the culture. 

    I called the patient and the son and told them that the sputum is growing something and to be on safe side keep him indoor. Then they came to see me after 2-3 weeks . By then I had received the identification of the bacteria . It was atypical TB . The Mycobacteria is a family name  and the Mycobacterium Tuberculosis is the one which is contagious and MUST BE treated and isolate in the first few days  and also family close contact will be needed to be checked . But the mycobacteria are not like that. They do need prolong treatment and have similar symptoms ,but they are not contagious.So when they came to see me ,I had to decide on the treatment . I had 2 choces one was to treat this 91 years old patient with 3 MDICINES for 18 months or not to treat but watch it . tHt medines used can have liver problem , eye problem . So I had to talk to them . Her was a 91 years old patient who had sputum growing atypical TB  and had no complaints other than some cough. 

          TO TREAT OR NOT TO TREAT ?WAS MY QUSTION. . 

I decided to watch him with new CT scan and new sputum check and clinically. 

No comments:

Post a Comment