Effect of azithromycin on the severity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in patients with mild asthma.
The effect of azithromycin on bronchial hyperresponsiveness was measured in a group of 11 patients with mild asthma. Azithromycin 250 mg orally was administered intermittently to all the patients twice a week for eight weeks. The only other treatment was inhaled beta2 agonist, when required. A histamine inhalation test was performed at the beginning and at the fourth and the eighth week of the study. The mean PC20 values increased significantly over the initial value at the eighth week after the administration of azithromycin (p < 0.05) but mean values for FEV1 and FEV1 percent predicted did not differ significantly. These results suggested that eight weeks of intermittent, low-dose administration of azithromycin in patients with mild asthma might reduce the severity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
Ekici
Aydanur
A
Department of Chest Diseases, Faculty of Medicine, Kirikkale University, Turkey. ake@anet.net.tr
Ekici
Mehmet
M
Erdemoğlu
A Kemal
AK
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001249:Asthma / Q000150:complications*; D017963:Azithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016535:Bronchial Hyperreactivity / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017963:Azithromycin