Significance of antibacterial therapy of Chlamydophila pneumoniae infection in patients with bronchial asthma

Aim. To study effects of eradication of Chlamydophila pneumoniae CP) infection in bronchial asthma (BA) on BA course and changes in quality of life (QOL) in BA patients. Material and methods. 194 BA patients in clinical remission participated in the trial. Microbiological diagnosis of asymptomatic CP infection was made serologically (ELISA, indirect enzyme immunoassay) using polymerase chain reaction. Clinical and biochemical tests, assessment of pulmonary ventilation function, QOL by AQLQ during 6-week antimicrobial therapy were made in 56 patients. Results. Patients with stable BA had high frequency of serological signs of clinically asymptomatic CP infection (52%) deteriorating BA symptoms and QOL. Antibacterial therapy of latent CP infection with azitromycin significantly improved BA course and QOL of BA patients. Conclusion. When laboratory tests detect CP infection in patients with long-term course of BA, especially in smoking males with moderate and severe BA it is clinically valid to prescribe addition of azitromycin to basic antiinflammatory treatment of BA.