Annals of the American Thoracic Society
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Editorial Comment
What we talk about when we talk about intensive care unit strain.
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Lung and cardiovascular disease are increasingly recognized to occur in the same patient populations. Infections, either through stimulation of inflammation or through direct infection, can lead to end-organ damage and have been postulated as a potential link between lung and cardiovascular diseases. ⋯ These relationships are likely quite complex, with multiple routes between infection and disease possible. A better understanding of the links of infection to lung and heart disease can improve our understanding of the pathogenesis of these disorders and uncover novel therapeutic approaches.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Efficacy of clarithromycin and ethambutol for Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease. A preliminary study.
Patients with Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease are frequently administered a combination of clarithromycin, ethambutol, and rifampicin. However, rifampicin is known to reduce the serum levels of clarithromycin. It remains unclear whether a reduction in clarithromycin serum levels influences the clinical outcome of the Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease treatment regimen. ⋯ This preliminary study suggests that treatment with clarithromycin and ethambutol is not inferior to treatment with clarithromycin, ethambutol, and rifampicin for Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease. Our findings justify a larger clinical trial to compare long-term clinical outcomes for the two treatment regimens. Clinical trial registered with http://www.umin.ac.jp/english/ (UMIN000002819).