title: The efficacy of clarithromycin in patients with severe nasal polyposis.
abstract: Although several treatments have been suggested for nasal polyposis, from medical to surgical, there is no standard guideline for the management of this disease. During recent years increasing attention has been directed toward the effects of macrolide antibiotics on chronic sinusitis and nasal polyposis. In this study,  the efficacy of clarithromycin on severe nasal polyposis were examined. In a Prospective, before - after study, forty patients with severe nasal polyposis received clarithromycin 500 mg twice a day for 8 weeks. At the beginning and end of treatment, the severity of patients' symptoms (using subjective analogue scale), computed tomography (CT) scan and endoscopic findings were recorded. After treatment, the severity of nasal obstruction, smelling problems, Post Nasal Discharge and rhinorrhea decreased significantly (P&lt;0.05). Furthermore, the degree of sinus opacification in CT scan and endoscopic findings showed significant improvement. Most patients completed their treatment course without significant side effects. Although a course of clarithromycin improved nasal symptoms, polyp size and CT findings, further studies with more patients are required to recommend this drug as a general treatment in nasal polyposis.
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Research Center, Department of Otolaryngology Head Neck Surgery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
authors.forename: Payman
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Dabirmoghaddam
authors.forename: Jalal
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mehdizadeh Seraj
authors.forename: Shahin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bastaninejad
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meighani
authors.forename: Zahra
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mokhtari
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004724:Endoscopy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015508:Nasal Obstruction / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D009298:Nasal Polyps / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D017291:Clarithromycin