[Asthma and Chlamydia pneumoniae. A future prospect for macrolides in general and roxithromycin in particular?].
A LOGICAL HYPOTHESIS: Recent publications raise the question of an association between Chlamydia pneumoniae and asthma. There has been no formal proof justifying routine search for C.pneumoniae in patients with uncontrolled asthma nor for systematic treatment with an antibiotic.


OBJECTIVE
Can Chlamydia pneumoniae infection initiate or aggravate asthma? Are acute manifestations of asthma associated with an overly high frequency of recent C.pneumoniae infection? Is a past history of C.pneumoniae infection abnormally frequent in patients with chronic asthma?


CONCLUSIONS
Rigorously controlled clinical trials evaluating the efficacy of antibiotics such as macrolides which are active against C.pneumoniae are warranted to further elucidate these questions.
Mayaud
C
C
Centre de Pneumologie et de Réanimation respiratoire, Hôpital Tenon, Paris.
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000382:microbiology*; D016993:Chlamydophila pneumoniae; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D015575:Roxithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D015575:Roxithromycin