title: Initial (6-month) results of three-times-weekly azithromycin in treatment regimens for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease in human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients.
abstract: Two consecutive, open, prospective trials of intermittent azithromycin (600 mg), usually given Monday, Wednesday, and Friday (TIW) for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease were initiated in human immunodeficiency virus-negative patients. Regimen A consisted of TIW azithromycin and daily ethambutol (15 mg/kg/day), daily rifabutin (300 mg/day), and initial twice weekly (BIW) streptomycin. Regimen B consisted of TIW azithromycin, TIW ethambutol (25 mg/kg/dose), TIW rifabutin (600 mg/dose), and initial BIW streptomycin. Of 19 patients enrolled in regimen A who completed at least 6 months of therapy, 14 (74%) had sputum samples become culture-negative. Of 39 patients enrolled in regimen B who completed at least 6 months of therapy, 24 (62%) had sputum conversion. These sputum conversion rates are comparable to previous rates at 6 months in patients receiving daily clarithromycin- or azithromycin-containing regimens. No resistance to azithromycin emerged with either regimen. This is the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of intermittent administration of medication for MAC lung disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Center for Pulmonary Infectious Disease Control, University of Texas Health Center, Tyler 75710, USA.
authors.forename: D E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: D T
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.forename: W M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Girard
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Couch
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Wallace
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004977:Ethambutol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015270:Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare Infection / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017828:Rifabutin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013307:Streptomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017828:Rifabutin; D017963:Azithromycin; D004977:Ethambutol; D013307:Streptomycin