Asthmatics May Have Bacterial Infections

Many patients with asthma may have bacterial infections in their lungs, and that treatment with antibiotics can improve their ability to breathe, according to a new study.

Researchers at National Jewish Medical and Research Center found that 31 of 55 chronic, stable asthmatics showed evidence of bacteria infection. After six weeks of treatment with the antibiotic clarithromycin, these patients demonstrated significant improvements in their lung function.

Their findings are published in the June issue of the journal Chest.

"We believe that antibiotics may become an important addition to the therapeutic options for some patients with asthma," said Dr. Richard Martin, professor of medicine at National Jewish and co-author of the paper.

But Martin said that to diagnose an infection requires invasive procedures, such as bronchoscopy, that are difficult to perform, unpleasant for the patient, and pose slight hazards themselves. Right now, only select centers can perform the necessary tests. But Martin and his colleagues are working on simpler methods to make the diagnosis easier.

It is not clear how a bacterial infection influences chronic asthma. There is evidence that it can exacerbate existing asthma. But the researchers also believe that it may contribute to the development of the disease. They are currently conducting experiments in mice to better understand the role of bacterial infections in asthma.

Although the clarithromycin did improve lung function in mild to moderate asthmatics with evidence of bacterial infections, the researchers do not advocate its widespread use for asthma.

When properly used, standard asthma medications can control symptoms in the vast majority of asthma patients, they said. Overuse of antibiotics in general has led to an increase in drug-resistant bacteria around the world.