Low-dose/Long-term Erythromycin for Treatment of Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia (BOOP)

YOICHIRO ICHIKAWA; HIDEAKI NINOMIYA; MAKO KATSUKI; MARIKO HOTTA; MASAKO TANAKA; KOTARO OIZUMI

doi:10.2739/kurumemedj.40.65

YOICHIRO ICHIKAWA, HIDEAKI NINOMIYA, MAKO KATSUKI, MARIKO HOTTA, MASAKO TANAKA, KOTARO OIZUMI

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Keywords: bronchiolitis obliterans, organizing pneumonia, erythromycin, treatment, bronchoalveolar lavage

JOURNAL FREE ACCESS

1993 Volume 40 Issue 2 Pages 65-67

DOI https://doi.org/10.2739/kurumemedj.40.65

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Abstract

Bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (BOOP) is a pathologic entity characterized by intraluminal fibrosis of distal air spaces. Corticosteroids have been widely used for the treatment of this condition, and most patients showed a dramatic response to it. However, long-term treatment with corticosteroids, which often increases the risk of several undesirable side-effects, is usually required because a relapse tends to occur soon after termination of treatment. We administered erythromycin (EM) at low-dose (600 mg daily) for 3-4 months to 6 patients with BOOP, and obtained a good clinical, radiological, and physiological improvement. This suggests that EM can be successfully used, instead of corticosteroids, in the treatment of BOOP.

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