The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 269 No 7218 p474
5 October 2002

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The Lancet (www.thelancet.com)

Antibiotic helps cystic fibrosis patients

Azithromycin (Zithromax) could be of some benefit to people with cystic fibrosis (CF) who do not respond to conventional treatment, British researchers suggest.

They treated 41 children who had CF and a median FEV1 of 61 per cent, with the macrolide antibiotic azithromycin, or placebo, for six months. After a two-month washout period, the treatments were crossed over. Children given azithromycin showed a modest improvement in FEV1 of about 5 per cent, compared with those in the placebo group. However, there was wide variation in the results — 13 of the 41 children improved after antibiotic treatment, but five experienced a deterioration in their FEV1 of more than 13 per cent.

Despite this, the researchers conclude that six months of azithromycin therapy is justified in children who have CF, but who have not responded to conventional therapy (Lancet 2002;360:978).