Thrice-weekly clarithromycin-containing regimen for treatment of Mycobacterium kansasii lung disease: results of a preliminary study.

Abstract

We initiated a prospective trial of an intermittent clarithromycin-containing regimen for the treatment of patients with Mycobacterium kansasii lung disease. Eighteen patients (10 men and 8 women) with M. kansasii lung disease received a regimen consisting of 500-1000 mg of clarithromycin, 25 mg/kg ethambutol, and 600 mg of rifampin 3 times per week. The primary treatment end point was a 12-month period during which sputum cultures were sterile while the patient was receiving therapy. Four male patients were lost to follow-up, but all of the remaining patients successfully completed therapy without significant drug-related adverse events. The mean time (+/- standard deviation [SD]) to sputum conversion was 1.0+/-0.9 months, and the mean duration (+/-SD) of therapy was 13.4+/-0.9 months. No patient who successfully completed therapy had relapsed after a mean (+/-SD) of 46+/-8.0 months. Clarithromycin- and rifampin-containing regimens offer the possibility of effective short-course and intermittent treatment of M. kansasii lung disease.

• Authors: David E Griffith, Barbara A Brown-Elliott, Richard J Wallace Jr
• Journal: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Clin Infect Dis) Vol. 37 Issue 9 Pg. 1178-82 (Nov 01 2003) ISSN: 1537-6591 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 14557961 (Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Controlled Clinical Trial, Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Anti-Bacterial Agents
• Antitubercular Agents
• Ethambutol
• Clarithromycin

Topics

• Anti-Bacterial Agents (therapeutic use)
• Antitubercular Agents (therapeutic use)
• Clarithromycin (therapeutic use)
• Drug Therapy, Combination
• Ethambutol (therapeutic use)
• Female
• Humans
• Lung Diseases (drug therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Mycobacterium Infections, Nontuberculous (drug therapy)
• Mycobacterium kansasii