ROXITHROMYCIN ATTENUATES ACID-INDUCED COUGH AND WATER-INDUCED BRONCHOCONSTRICTION IN CHILDREN WITH ASTHMA

In the present study, we evaluated the effect of roxithromycin, a semi synthetic macrolide antibiotic, on the cough response to inhaled aceti c acid (AA) and on the bronchoconstriction induced by ultrasonically n ebulized distilled water (UNDW) in children with asthma. Ten hospitali zed asthmatic children (8 boys and 2 girls, mean +/- SEM age 12.6 +/- 0.4 years) were enrolled in this study. They were treated with 150 mg of roxithromycin once a day orally for 8 weeks without any side effect s. All the patients underwent AA inhalation challenge before and 2, 4, and 8 weeks after the administration of roxithromycin. Seven of the 1 0 patients, who had a fall in FEV1 of at least 20% after UNDW inhalati on, underwent UNDW inhalation challege at the same time. The cough thr eshold values, the lowest concentrations of AA eliciting coughs, and U N DW provocative dose producing a 20% fall in FEV1 (UNDW PD20) values 4 or 8 weeks after the administration of roxithromycin increased signi ficantly over the initial values (p < 0.05). No significant change was observed in baseline FEV1 or serum theophylline concentrations throug hout the study. These results support the notion that administration o f roxithromycin may have favorable results in the treatment of childho od asthma.