TY - JOUR
T1 - Effect of clarithromycin on inflammatory markers in patients with atherosclerosis
AU - Berg, Hans F.
AU - Maraha, Boulos
AU - Scheffer, Gert Jan
AU - Peeters, Marcel F.
AU - Kluytmans, Jan A.J.W.
PY - 2003/7
Y1 - 2003/7
N2 - Atherosclerosis can to a certain extent be regarded as an inflammatory disease. Also, inflammatory markers may provide information about cardiovascular risk. Whether macrolide antibiotics, especially clarithromycin, have an anti-inflammatory effect in patients with atherosclerosis is not exactly known. To study this phenomenon, a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study was performed. A total of 231 patients with documented coronary artery disease received a daily dose of either 500 mg of slow-release clarithromycin or placebo until the day of surgery. Levels of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-2 receptor [IL-2R], IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) were assessed during the preoperative outpatient visit, on the day of surgery, and 8 weeks after surgery. Also, changes in the levels of inflammatory markers between visits were determined by delta calculations. Baseline patient characteristics were balanced between the two treatment groups: the average age was 66 years (standard deviation [SD] = 9.0), 79% of the patients were male, and the average number of tablets used was 16 (SD = 9.3). The inflammatory markers of the groups as well as the delta calculations were not significantly changed. Treatment with clarithromycin did not influence the inflammatory markers in patients with atherosclerosis.
AB - Atherosclerosis can to a certain extent be regarded as an inflammatory disease. Also, inflammatory markers may provide information about cardiovascular risk. Whether macrolide antibiotics, especially clarithromycin, have an anti-inflammatory effect in patients with atherosclerosis is not exactly known. To study this phenomenon, a placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind study was performed. A total of 231 patients with documented coronary artery disease received a daily dose of either 500 mg of slow-release clarithromycin or placebo until the day of surgery. Levels of inflammatory markers (C-reactive protein, interleukin-2 receptor [IL-2R], IL-6, IL-8, and tumor necrosis factor alpha) were assessed during the preoperative outpatient visit, on the day of surgery, and 8 weeks after surgery. Also, changes in the levels of inflammatory markers between visits were determined by delta calculations. Baseline patient characteristics were balanced between the two treatment groups: the average age was 66 years (standard deviation [SD] = 9.0), 79% of the patients were male, and the average number of tablets used was 16 (SD = 9.3). The inflammatory markers of the groups as well as the delta calculations were not significantly changed. Treatment with clarithromycin did not influence the inflammatory markers in patients with atherosclerosis.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0038106264&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1128/CDLI.10.4.525-528.2003
DO - 10.1128/CDLI.10.4.525-528.2003
M3 - Article
C2 - 12853380
AN - SCOPUS:0038106264
SN - 1071-412X
VL - 10
SP - 525
EP - 528
JO - Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology
JF - Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology
IS - 4
ER -