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(Circulation. 2002;106:e226.)
© 2002 American Heart Association, Inc.

Correspondence

Effect of Roxithromycin Treatment on the Endothelial Function of Chlamydia pneumoniae Seropositive Men Suffering From Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease

Peter Wiesli, MD; Georg Schulthess, MD

Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland, georg.schulthess@dim.usz.ch

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

To the Editor:

Parchure et al¹ have recently reported that azithromycin therapy for 5 weeks significantly improved flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery in Chlamydia pneumoniae seropositive men suffering from coronary heart disease. Our group has recently reported that roxithromycin treatment for 1 month significantly improved the walking distance and reduced the number of revascularization procedures in C pneumoniae seropositive men suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease.² In this prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we also investigated the effect of roxithromycin on the endothelial function.

Determination of radial artery hemodynamics was performed at study entry, at the end of 1-month treatment with either roxithromycin or placebo, and at the 6-month follow-up. Radial artery diameter was measured using a high-precision A-mode echo-tracking device (NIUS 02, Asulab) to determine FMD and glyceryl trinitrate-induced dilation, which was 10.9±4.2% (mean ±1 SD). At baseline, no FMD of the radial artery could be detected in 6 of 20 patients in the placebo group and in 9 of 20 patients in the roxithromycin group. FMD remained absent in these patients throughout the study period. The results for patients with FMD detectable at baseline were as follows. In 11 roxithromycin-treated patients, FMD increased from 2.06±2.20% to 3.06±2.47% during 1-month treatment (P=0.07, Wilcoxon matched pairs test), and decreased again to 2.41±2.23% after 6 months. In 14 placebo-treated patients, FMD remained unchanged throughout the study period, ie, 3.03±1.34% at baseline, 3.07±1.41% after 1 month, and 3.04±1.03% at 6 months follow-up.

Parchure et al¹ demonstrated a marked and significant improvement . . . [Full Text of this Article]

J.C. Kaski, MD, DSc; N. Parchure, MRCP; E. Zouridakis, MD

Coronary Artery Disease Research Unit, Department of Cardiological Sciences, St George’s Hospital Medical School, London, UK, jkaski@sghms.ac.uk