title: [Impact of treatment with low dose roxithromycin on stable bronchiectasis].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the impact of treatment with low dose roxithromycin on clinical symptoms and CT scores in patients with stable bronchiectasis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients with bronchiectasis in stable condition were randomly assigned to a control group and a treatment group. Patients in the control group received ambroxol hydrochloride tablet 90 mg 3 times a day. Patients in the treatment group received roxithromycin disperse tablet 0.15 g every day and ambroxol hydrochloride tablet 90 mg 3 times a day. The course of treatment lasted for 6 months. Quality of life was assessed using St. George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ). The British Medical Research Council (MRC) dyspnea scale was used to assess the degree of dyspnea. The score for CT evaluation of the thorax, quality of life and SGRQ were performed for all patients before and after the treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After 6 months, the scores for quality of life (48 ± 13) were lower compared to that (58 ± 15) before treatment in the control group; however, the scores for bronchial wall thickening of bronchiectasis (1.8 ± 0.5) were higher than that (1.8 ± 0.4) before study. The scores for the extent of bronchiectasis (2.7 ± 1.6), the bronchial wall thickening of bronchiectasis (1.3 ± 0.4) and the global CT score (6.7 ± 2.5) were reduced after treatment as compared to those before treatment [(4.8 ± 2.3), (1.8 ± 0.5), (9.5 ± 3.3)] in the treatment group, (all P < 0.01). The degree of dyspnea (1.3 ± 0.4) and quality of life (42 ± 12) were lower than those before treatment [(1.89 ± 0.45), (56 ± 15)] in the treatment group. Furthermore, the scores for extent of bronchiectasis (2.7 ± 1.6), the scores for the bronchial wall thickening of bronchiectasis (1.3 ± 0.4) and the global CT score (6.7 ± 2.5) in the treatment group were significantly improved as compared with those [(4.8 ± 2.0), (1.8 ± 0.5), (9.7 ± 3.6)] in the control group respectively after treatment. At the same time, the degree of dyspnea (1.3 ± 0.4) in the treatment group was significantly improved as compared with that (1.7 ± 0.4) in the control group after treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The scores for the bronchial wall thickening of bronchiectasis were increased in patients with stable bronchiectasis. Low dose roxithromycin combined with ambroxol hydrochloride significantly improved degree of dyspnea, reduced scores for extent of bronchiectasis, scores for the bronchial wall thickening of bronchiectasis and the global CT score as compared to treatment with ambroxol hydrochloride alone in patients with bronchiectasis in stable condition.
authors.affiliation: Department of Respiratory Diseases, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, China.
authors.forename: Ji-feng
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Xiao-ning
authors.initials: XN
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Zhi-yi
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: He
authors.forename: De-jun
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bai
authors.forename: Jian-quan
authors.initials: JQ
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000551:Ambroxol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001980:Bronchi / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001987:Bronchiectasis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004417:Dyspnea / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011788:Quality of Life; D015575:Roxithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D000551:Ambroxol; D015575:Roxithromycin