Low-dose/long-term erythromycin for treatment of bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP).
Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a pathologic entity characterized by intraluminal fibrosis of distal air spaces. Corticosteroids have been widely used for the treatment of this condition, and most patients showed a dramatic response to it. However, long-term treatment with corticosteroids, which often increases the risk of several undesirable side-effects, is usually required because a relapse tends to occur soon after termination of treatment. We administered erythromycin (EM) at low-dose (600 mg daily) for 3-4 months to 6 patients with BOOP, and obtained a good clinical, radiological, and physiological improvement. This suggests that EM can be successfully used, instead of corticosteroids, in the treatment of BOOP.
Ichikawa
Y
Y
Department of Medicine, Kurume University School of Medicine, Japan.
Ninomiya
H
H
Katsuki
M
M
Hotta
M
M
Tanaka
M
M
Oizumi
K
K
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001989:Bronchiolitis Obliterans / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004917:Erythromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy*
D004917:Erythromycin