RICHMOND, Va. (July 26, 2012) Patients suffering from the chronic lung condition COPD, which is the third-leading cause of death and disability in the United States, may benefit greatly from a three-times-a-week dose of an antibiotic, according to a study by Virginia Commonwealth University physicians published in today's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
Approximately 24 million Americans suffer from COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which creates recurrent, acute episodes of severe shortness of breath, cough and sputum production. Every episode can threaten the lives of the patients and lead to additional lung function decline.
The VCU team, led by Richard P. Wenzel, M.D., professor and former chair of the VCU Department of Internal Medicine in the VCU School of Medicine, and former president of the International Society for Infectious Diseases, performed a critical review of current clinical studies, reviewed the pharmacology and adverse effects of the antibiotic, azithromycin, and examined the risks and benefits of a regimen of a Monday, Wednesday and Friday dose of azithromycin.
Wenzel and colleagues Alpha A. Fowler III, M.D., professor and chair of the Division of Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine, and Michael B. Edmond, M.D., M.P.H., professor and chair of the Division of Infectious Diseases, concluded that a large segment of COPD sufferers could benefit from the preventive approach.
According to Wenzel, the proposed approach for use of azithromycin for the prevention of COPD exacerbations has not been endorsed by any of the large pulmonary and infectious disease organizations, including the GOLD group. But he said that the current review is compelling enough that these groups may move to revisit their current guidelines.
"This approach has the potential to eliminate one-third of the severe exacerbations each year among patients with COPD," said Wenzel.
'/>"/>| Contact: Sathya Achia Abraham sbachia@vcu.edu 804-827-0890 Virginia Commonwealth University Source:Eurekalert |