A Case Report on Managing the Side Effects of Anti-tuberculosis Drugs for Nontuberculous Mucobacteriosis (NTM) by Concurrently using Traditional Korean Medicine and Antibiotics

Abstract

Objectives: This study investigated the effect of combined Korean medical treatment and antibiotics on a patient diagnosed with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease.Methods: The patient had been treated with antibiotics since July 2020 concurrently with <i>Maekmoondong-tang</i>, <i>Banhasasim-tang</i>, <i>Gwakhyangjunggi-san</i> and <i>Bojungikgi-tang</i>. The improvement of symptoms was evaluated using scores for the numerical rating scale (NRS), the Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, and computed tomography (CT).Results: Following treatment, the NRS, MRC dyspnea scale and CT images significantly improved. Also, CRP levels remained in the normal range during treatment.Conclusions: Traditional Korean medical treatment combined with antibiotics could be effective for treating patients with nontuberculous mycobacterial lung disease.