title: Clarithromycin stops lung function decline in airway-centered interstitial fibrosis.
abstract: Airway-centered interstitial fibrosis (ACIF) is a distinct type of lung interstitial fibrosis characterized by lesions centered on the airways. Several cases reported in the literature showed little to no effect of corticosteroids and a high mortality rate in the absence of lung transplantation. No other efficient approach is described for the treatment of this type of fibrosis. We report for the first time the case of a 44-year-old patient diagnosed with ACIF on surgical lung biopsy and stabilized with clarithromycin after failure of systemic corticosteroids. We need to confirm this benefit in other patients to ascertain the anti-inflammatory effect of macrolides, which are far less harmful compared to corticosteroids or immunosuppressant drugs.
authors.affiliation: Service de pneumologie, CHU de Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, Rennes, France. Stephane.jouneau@chu-rennes.fr
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Jouneau
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kerjouan
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caulet-Maugendre
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Guillot
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Meunier
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Desrues
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Delaval
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D064098:Esomeprazole / Q000009:adverse effects; D005938:Glucocorticoids / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D017563:Lung Diseases, Interstitial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000009:adverse effects; D011658:Pulmonary Fibrosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D017211:Treatment Failure
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D005938:Glucocorticoids; D011239:Prednisolone; D017291:Clarithromycin; D064098:Esomeprazole