The development of diffuse panbronchiolitis during the treatment with long-term, low-dose clarithromycin for chronic sinusitis

Abstract

Diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) is a progressive inflammatory airway disease characterized by a chronic cough, copious sputum expectation, dyspnea, and chronic sinusitis. Owing to the long-term treatment of low-dose macrolides, the prognosis has been remarkably improved. However, in some cases, patients are refractory to macrolides, and the subsequent treatment strategies are controversial. We herein present a patient with the onset of DPB during treatment with long-term, low-dose clarithromycin (CAM) for chronic sinusitis who was successfully treated by switching to long-term treatment with normal-dose CAM. We should recognize that DPB may develop in patients with chronic sinusitis despite treatment with a long-term, low-dose macrolide. We also propose that increasing the dose of macrolide may be a useful strategy for treating refractory patients.