Azithromycin helps improve asthma control and reduce exacerbations in children with poorly controlled asthma, according to a study published in CHEST. Jagat Jeevan Ghimire, MD, and colleagues randomly assigned 120 children (aged 5-15) with poorly controlled asthma to receive azithromycin three times weekly for 3 months plus standard treatment or standard treatment alone. The numbers of children with wellcontrolled asthma, according to Global Initiative for Asthma guidelines, were 41 of 56 in the azithromycin group versus 10 of 56 in the control groups. The azithromycin group had a lower median number of exacerbations requiring emergency visits and steroid use (0 vs 1). There was no difference observed between the groups for fractional exhaled nitric oxide level, spirometry parameters, positive throat swab results, or adverse effects. “The beneficial effect of azithromycin was similar in children with eosinophilic versus non-eosinophilic asthma and those aged 5-11 and those aged 12 or older,” the study authors wrote
