Concentrations of clarithromycin and active metabolite in the epithelial lining fluid of patients with Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease.

Objectives: Clarithromycin (CAM) is widely accepted for the treatment of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) pulmonary diseases. This study measured (a) the concentrations of CAM and its active metabolite (14OH-CAM) in bronchial epithelial lining fluid (ELF) obtained by bronchoscopic microsampling (BMS), and (b) the minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of CAM for each MAC isolate.

Methods: We studied eight patients with MAC pulmonary disease treated with oral CAM, 400 (n=4) or 800 (n=4) mg/day.