Effect of azithromycin treatment on inflammation in COPD patients

<b>Introduction:</b> Azithromycin (AZM) is believed to have anti-inflammatory effects &amp; under non-bactericidal doses it reduces exacerbations in asthma and COPD <b>Objectives:</b> Examine airway inflammation in patients treated with AZM compared to placebo, from sputum &amp; blood samples collected from the MAZDA study (Simpson et al 2014) <b>Methods:</b> In MAZDA, COPD patients (n=30) were randomised to daily doses of AZM (250 mg) or placebo &amp; seen at regular intervals. Differential sputum &amp; blood cell counts were counted. Sputum mediators were measured by MSD® <b>Results:</b> There was no significant percentage change in sputum IL-8, CRP, or IL-1β between AZM &amp; placebo pre &amp; post treatment. Sputum IL-5 &amp; IL-33 were undetectable in all samples. No significant differences were found in blood eosinophils or neutrophils pre- &amp; post- treatment. However, there was a significant difference in sputum eosinophils following AZM or placebo (Figure 1). <b>Conclusions:</b> The effects of AZM in COPD may be related to reducing eosinophilic airway inflammation