@article{3091266,
    title = "Clarithromycin reduces the severity of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in
patients with asthma",
    author = "Kostadima, E and Tsiodras, S and Alexopoulos, EI and Kaditis, AG and and Mavrou, I and Georgatou, N and Papamichalopoulos, A",
    journal = "European Respiratory Journal",
    year = "2004",
    volume = "23",
    number = "5",
    pages = "714-717",
    publisher = "EUROPEAN RESPIRATORY SOC JOURNALS LTD",
    issn = "0903-1936, 1399-3003",
    doi = "10.1183/09031936.04.00118404",
    keywords = "bronchial asthma; bronchial hyperresponsiveness; clarithromycin
macrolides",
    abstract = "A randomised double-blind placebo-controlled study was designed to
evaluate the effects of a semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic,
clarithromycin, on bronchial hyperresponsiveness to methacholine in
patients with a diagnosis of asthma.
Adult asthma patients undergoing treatment with budesonide 400 mug
b.i.d. and salbutamol 200 mug p.r.n. less than twice weekly were
studied. Arm A (16 males/six females, aged 48 +/- 16 yrs) received
clarithromycin 250 mg b.i.d. for 8 weeks, arm B (eight males/12 females,
aged 42 +/- 12 yrs) clarithromycin 250 mg t.i.d. and arm C (six males/15
females, aged 41 +/- 16 yrs) placebo dextrose tablets. Bronchial
hyperresponsiveness was quantified by measurement of the provocative
dose of methacholine causing a 20% fall in forced expiratory volume in
one second (PD20).
Median (interquartile range) PD20 in the three groups before and after
treatment with clarithromycin were: arm A: 0.3 (0.1-1) and 1.3 (0.6-2)
mg; arm B: 0.4 (0.1-0.9) and 2 (2-2) mg; and arm C: 0.4 (0.1-0.9) and
0.3 (0.1-0.6) mg, respectively. Serum free cortisol levels were
determined and remained unchanged from baseline in the
clarithromycin-treated patients.
It is concluded that clarithromycin reduces the degree of bronchial
hyperresponsiveness in patients with asthma."
}