The efficacy and safety of azithromycin in asthma: A systematic review. Issue 3 (19th January 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Tian, Bao‐Ping; Xuan, Nanxia; Wang, Yesong; Zhang, Gensheng; Cui, Wei
• Is Part Of: Journal of cellular and molecular medicine. Volume 23:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 1638
• Page End: 1646
• Publication Date: 2019-01-19
• Subjects: adverse events -- asthma -- azithromycin -- life quality -- lung function -- systematic review; Cytology; Medicine; Molecular Biology; Cytologie -- Périodiques; Médecine -- Périodiques; Biologie moléculaire -- Périodiques; Cytology -- Periodicals; Medicine -- Periodicals; Molecular biology -- Periodicals; 611.01805
• DOI: 10.1111/jcmm.13919
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1582-1838

Abstract

Abstract: Azithromycin is a potential therapeutic choice for asthma control, which is a heterogeneous airway inflammatory disease. Because of variable findings, we intend to evaluate the therapeutic effect and safety of azithromycin in asthma. Databases, including PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and CNKI until 31 December 2017, were searched to identify available randomised controlled trials regarding azithromycin treatment for asthma. We identified seven studies involving 1520 cases that met our criteria. The mean difference for lung function (FEV1, FVC, PEF), symptom assessment (ACQ, AQLQ), airway inflammation, and risk ratios for adverse events were extracted. Chi‐square and I 2 tests were applied to evaluate the heterogeneity among the studies towards each index with a random effect model or a fixed effect model. Pooled analysis shows that azithromycin administration results in no significant improvement in FEV1 (MD: 0.09, 95% CI −0.10 to 0.29, P = 0.36), PEF (MD: 11.76; 95% CI, −2.86 to 26.38, P = 0.11), total airway inflammatory cells (MD: −0.29; 95% CI, −1.38 to 0.80, P = 0.60), ACQ (MD: 0.05; 95% CI, −0.08 to 0.19, P = 0.44), and AQLQ (MD: 0.12; 95% CI, −0.02 to 0.26, P = 0.10). Moreover, no significant difference was detected in adverse events (Risk ratio 0.99; 95% CI, 0.82‐1.19, P = 0.90). These findings demonstrate no beneficial clinical outcome of azithromycin in asthma control, and we propose that further prospective cohorts are warranted.