RCT: Azithromycin for prevention of exacerbations in severe asthma (AZISAST)

Source: Thorax Area: News Severe asthma has been shown to be a risk factor for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI), including pneumonia. Macrolides have immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects in addition to their antibacterial effects. Maintenance treatment with has been shown to be effective in chronic neutrophilic airway diseases including cystic fibrosis, bronchiectasis and diffuse panbronchiolitis. In an observational study, the benefits of short-term macrolide treatment were demonstrated in patients with severe asthma. Recently, erythromycin and azithromycin, added to usual therapy, have been shown to prevent exacerbations in patients with COPD, a predominantly neutrophilic airway disease.   Researchers conducted a randomised double-blind placebo-controlled trial to test the hypothesis that long-term add-on treatment with azithromycin decreases the frequency of acute exacerbations and LRTI in patients with exacerbation-prone severe asthma. Since severe asthma is a heterogeneous ...
Source: NeLM - News - Category: Drugs & Pharmacology Source Type: news