Home > Online Clinic News > Macrolides Use in Asthma to be Studied

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by Robert MacKay, Tuesday, 07 May 2013 | Categories: Asthma

When it comes to treatment of various illnesses it is not always the case that one size fits all. Instead, it is not uncommon for individual treatment plans to be developed to suit the affected person. A good example of that can be seen in how individuals who have asthma often need to find what is right for them. Yet, despite the many options available, there are still some individuals who do not respond well to traditional treatments for asthma. Although this is a long-standing problem, no large-scale studies have addressed the issue to date. However, this is about to change.

Researchers from University of Adelaide School of Medicine recently announced that they are recruiting participants for a five-year study in Australia. The key purpose of the research is to consider the benefits of macrolide antibiotics in the lungs of asthmatics, who (despite taking medications), are still symptomatic. In addition to that, the same team will conduct clinical trials on an alternative treatment for this population.

According to the researchers the current treatments target so called eosinophil cells (white bloods cells). However, they postulate that targeting neutrophil cells (also white blood cells) may be more suitable for some individuals as many asthma sufferers have normal levels of eosinophil cells. It is their hope that their research and clinical trials will illuminate this relationship for further research to be done and new treatments to be developed.

It is important to point out that the proposed treatment therapy is not only appropriate where there is an infection present. Macrolide antibiotics have anti-inflammatory properties and the use in asthma has been postulated before in a study dating back to 2004.

We are always a bit weary of researchers’ claims before seeing the results of any trial. However, the scope of this project is substantial, not only in terms of length of time but also in terms of funding. As such, it is our hope that the research will at the very least help clarify unanswered questions regarding cell biology in the process of asthma development and treatment. You can read more about this study here.





 
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