Meta-analysis of the adverse effects of long-term azithromycin use in patients with chronic lung diseases.

Antimicrob Agents Chemother

Division of Respiratory Medicine, the Affiliated Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, People's Republic of China.

Published: September 2014

The adverse effects of azithromycin on the treatment of patients with chronic lung diseases (CLD) were evaluated in the present study. MEDLINE and other databases were searched for relevant articles published until August 2013. Randomized controlled trials that enrolled patients with chronic lung diseases who received long-term azithromycin treatment were selected, and data on microbiological studies and azithromycin-related adverse events were abstracted from articles and analyzed. Six studies were included in the meta-analysis. The risk of bacterial resistance in patients receiving long-term azithromycin treatment was increased 2.7-fold (risk ratio [RR], 2.69 [95% confidence interval {95% CI}, 1.249, 5.211]) compared with the risk in patients receiving placebo treatment. On the other hand, the risk of bacterial colonization decreased in patients receiving azithromycin treatment (RR, 0.551 [95% CI, 0.460, 0.658]). Patients receiving long-term azithromycin therapy were at risk of increased impairment of hearing (RR, 1.168 [95% CI, 1.030, 1.325]). This analysis provides evidence supporting the idea that bacterial resistance can develop with long-term azithromycin treatment. Besides the increasingly recognized anti-inflammatory role of azithromycin used in treating chronic lung diseases, we should be aware of the potential for adverse events with its long-term use.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3910718PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.1128/AAC.02067-13DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

long-term azithromycin
20
azithromycin treatment
20
chronic lung
16
lung diseases
16
patients receiving
16
patients chronic
12
adverse effects
8
azithromycin
8
adverse events
8
risk bacterial
8

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!