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Roxithromycin reduces the degree of bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children with asthma
T Shimizu1, M Kato, H Mochizuki
1Department of Pediatrics, Gunma University, School of Medicine, Japan.
Insights
Roxithromycin, a new antibiotic, improved bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children with asthma. This asthma treatment showed no side effects and favorably impacted lung function in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pharmacology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Childhood asthma is a chronic respiratory condition characterized by bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
- Histamine is a common trigger for bronchoconstriction in asthmatic individuals.
- Macrolide antibiotics are increasingly explored for non-infectious inflammatory conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of roxithromycin in reducing histamine-induced bronchial hyperresponsiveness in children with asthma.
- To assess the safety and tolerability of roxithromycin in this pediatric population.
Main Methods:
- A study involving twelve hospitalized asthmatic children (aged 11-15 years) treated with oral roxithromycin (150 mg/day) for 8 weeks.
- Bronchial hyperresponsiveness was measured using the PC20 histamine value.
- Serum theophylline and cortisol levels were monitored to assess potential drug interactions and systemic effects.
Main Results:
- Significant increases in PC20 histamine values were observed at 4 and 8 weeks of roxithromycin treatment (p < 0.05, p < 0.01).
- No significant changes in serum theophylline or morning serum cortisol levels were detected during the study.
- Roxithromycin administration was well-tolerated with no reported side effects.
Conclusions:
- Roxithromycin administration may favorably impact the treatment of childhood asthma by reducing bronchial hyperresponsiveness.
- The macrolide antibiotic roxithromycin demonstrates a potential therapeutic role in managing pediatric asthma.
- Further research is warranted to confirm these findings and explore the mechanisms of action.
Abstract:
We evaluated the effects of a new semisynthetic macrolide antibiotic, roxithromycin, on the bronchial hyperresponsiveness to histamine in children with asthma. Twelve hospitalized asthmatic children, aged 11 to 15 years (mean age, 12.9 years), were enrolled in this study. They were treated with 150 mg of roxithromycin once a day orally for 8 weeks without any side effects. The PC20 value 4 or 8 weeks after the administration of roxithromycin increased significantly over the initial values (p < 0.05, p < 0.01, respectively). No significant change was observed in serum theophylline concentrations during this study. Serum cortisol level in the morning did not change after the administration of roxithromycin for 4 weeks. These results suggest that administration of roxithromycin may act favorably in the treatment of childhood asthma.