Effect of Azithromycin on the Severity of Bronchial Hyperresponsiveness in Patients with Mild Asthma

Abstract

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 β2 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.

• Bronchial asthma
• Bronchial hyperresponsiveness
• Azithromycin
• Macrolides
• Histamine