Long-term Azithromycin Treatment in Pediatric Primary Ciliary
Dyskinesia: A Retrospective Study
Abstract
Objectives: Primary ciliary dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare genetic disease
mainly involved in lung dysfunction. PCD patient outcomes after
azithromycin (AZM) treatment have rarely been reported. This study was
aimed to assess AZM treatment effects on disease progression of
pediatric PCD patients. Study design: This retrospective follow-up study
involved PCD patients diagnosed from December 2009 to December 2020.
Changes of clinical outcomes, pulmonary function, and chest computed
tomography findings were compared between untreated and AZM-treated
patients. Results: Of 63 enrolled patients (median follow-up duration of
3.1 years), 30 received AZM (AZM-treated group) and 33 received no AZM
(AZM-untreated group). At diagnosis, no significant intergroup
differences in age, sex, height, weight, respiratory infection
frequency, and FEV1% and FVC% predicted values were found, although
FEF25-75% predicted was lower in AZM group. Between treatment
initiation and follow-up, patients in AZM-treated group had less
respiratory infection frequency than that of controls (1.4 ± 0.8 VS 3.0
± 2.1 times/year, respectively, P = 0.001) and fewer AZM-treated group
patients exhibited exercise intolerance. Increases above baseline of
AZM-treated group FEV1% and FVC% predicted values exceeded
corresponding control increases, but intergroup differences were
insignificant (FEV1% predicted: 5.3 (-13.4, 9.4) VS 1.8 (-12.1, 9.5), P
= 0.477; FVC% predicted: 6.7 (-7.6, 18.8) VS 1.6 (-5.6, 7.6), P =
0·328). Conclusions: Long-term AZM treatment can reduce respiratory
infection frequency and may maintain pulmonary diseases stable in
pediatric PCD patients.