[A study of factors relating to aggravation of patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex disease--with special reference to malnutrition].

: We examined physical and blood statuses of 24 patients with pulmonary M. avium complex disease who entered our hospital from April 1993 to March 1997. Ten patients (41.7%) were diagnosed as primary infection type and 14 patients (58.3%) as secondary infection type. Twenty-four patients were classified to the following two groups: Group A was 14 patients who converted to MAC negative within six months after the admission and group B was 10 patients who continued to excrete MAC for more than six months after the admission. We made a comparison between group A and group B as to the results of physical and blood examinations on admission. Mean value of %IBW in group B was significantly lower (group B:74.4 +/- 8.9%, group A:82.9 +/- 12.7%, p < 0.05) than that of group A. The level of serum albumin in group B was significantly lower (group B: 3.39 +/- 0.53 g/dl, group A: 3.99 +/- 0.45 g/dl, p < 0.01) than that of group A. ChE in group B was significantly lower (group B: 321.2 +/- 94.5 IU/l, group A: 442.9 +/- 148.4 IU/l, p < 0.05) than that of group A. Group B was nutritionally depleted than group A. In conclusion, these findings suggested that nutritional support should be taken into consideration in combination with conventional chemotherapy in treating chronic, intractable MAC disease.