@aorchid

Effect of long-term, low-dose erythromycin on pulmonary exacerbations among patients with non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis: the BLESS randomized controlled trial.

, , , , , , , , , and . JAMA, 309 (12): 1260--1267 (March 2013)
DOI: 10.1001/jama.2013.2290

Abstract

Macrolide antibiotics such as erythromycin may improve clinical outcomes in non-cystic fibrosis (CF) bronchiectasis, although associated risks of macrolide resistance are poorly defined.To evaluate the clinical efficacy and antimicrobial resistance cost of low-dose erythromycin given for 12 months to patients with non-CF bronchiectasis with a history of frequent pulmonary exacerbations.Twelve-month, randomized (1:1), double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of erythromycin in currently nonsmoking, adult patients with non-CF bronchiectasis with a history of 2 or more infective exacerbations in the preceding year. This Australian study was undertaken between October 2008 and December 2011 in a university teaching hospital, with participants also recruited via respiratory physicians at other centers and from public radio advertisements.Twice-daily erythromycin ethylsuccinate (400 mg) or matching placebo.The primary outcome was the annualized mean rate of protocol-defined pulmonary exacerbations (PDPEs) per patient. Secondary outcomes included macrolide resistance in commensal oropharyngeal streptococci and lung function.Six-hundred seventy-nine patients were screened, 117 were randomized (58 placebo, 59 erythromycin), and 107 (91.5\%) completed the study. Erythromycin significantly reduced PDPEs both overall (mean, 1.29 95\% CI, 0.93-1.65 vs 1.97 95\% CI, 1.45-2.48 per patient per year; incidence rate ratio IRR, 0.57 95\% CI, 0.42-0.77; P = .003), and in the prespecified subgroup with baseline Pseudomonas aeruginosa airway infection (mean difference, 1.32 95\% CI, 0.19-2.46; P = .02). Erythromycin reduced 24-hour sputum production (median difference, 4.3 g interquartile range IQR, 1 to 7.8, P = .01) and attenuated lung function decline (mean absolute difference for change in postbronchodilator forced expiratory volume in the first second of expiration, 2.2 percent predicted 95\% CI, 0.1\% to 4.3\%; P = .04) compared with placebo. Erythromycin increased the proportion of macrolide-resistant oropharyngeal streptococci (median change, 27.7\% IQR, 0.04\% to 41.1\% vs 0.04\% IQR, -1.6\% to 1.5\%; difference, 25.5\% IQR,15.0\% to 33.7\%; P < .001). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: Among patients with non-CF bronchiectasis, the 12-month use of erythromycin compared with placebo resulted in a modest decrease in the rate of pulmonary exacerbations and an increased rate of macrolide resistance.anzctr.org.au Identifier: ACTRN12609000578202.

Description

have paper copy.

Links and resources

Tags