Benefit of Clarithromycin in Patients With Severe Infections Through Modulation of the Immune System

Summary

High mortality associated with sepsis and Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndrome (MODS) calls for alternative, individualized therapies in selected patients that might benefit form specific interventions. Role of macrolides as potential immunomodulatory treatment in sepsis is promising, but unclear. Subgroup analysis of previous large-scale clinical trials on patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia or gram-negative sepsis, showed that addition of clarithromycin to standard antibiotic therapy conferred a significant survival benefit in the subgroup of patients with respiratory dysfunction and MODS. The INCLASS study is aiming to assess the efficacy of intravenous treatment of clarithromycin in the reduction of 28-day mortality among patients suffering from these entities.

Timeline

Start

2017-12-15

Primary completion

2019-09-22

Completion

2020-12-19

Publications

• Results Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Mylona V, Antonopoulou A, Tsangaris I, Koutelidakis I, Marioli A, Raftogiannis M, Kopterides P, Lymberopoulou K, Mouktaroudi M, Papageorgiou C, Papaziogas B, Georgopoulou AP, Tsaganos T, Papadomichelakis E, Gogos C, Ladas M, Savva A, Pelekanou A, Baziaka F, Koutoukas P, Kanni T, Spyridaki A, Maniatis N, Pelekanos N, Kotsaki A, Vaki I, Douzinas EE, Koratzanis G, Armaganidis A. Effect of clarithromycin in patients with suspected Gram-negative sepsis: results of a randomized controlled trial. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2014 Apr;69(4):1111-8. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkt475. Epub 2013 Nov 28.
• Results Spyridaki A, Raftogiannis M, Antonopoulou A, Tsaganos T, Routsi C, Baziaka F, Karagianni V, Mouktaroudi M, Koutoukas P, Pelekanou A, Kotanidou A, Orfanos SE, van der Meer JW, Netea MG, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ. Effect of clarithromycin in inflammatory markers of patients with ventilator-associated pneumonia and sepsis caused by Gram-negative bacteria: results from a randomized clinical study. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2012 Jul;56(7):3819-25. doi: 10.1128/AAC.05798-11. Epub 2012 May 7.
• Results Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ, Pechere JC, Routsi C, Plachouras D, Kollias S, Raftogiannis M, Zervakis D, Baziaka F, Koronaios A, Antonopoulou A, Markaki V, Koutoukas P, Papadomichelakis E, Tsaganos T, Armaganidis A, Koussoulas V, Kotanidou A, Roussos C, Giamarellou H. Effect of clarithromycin in patients with sepsis and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Clin Infect Dis. 2008 Apr 15;46(8):1157-64. doi: 10.1086/529439.
• Results Tsaganos T, Raftogiannis M, Pratikaki M, Christodoulou S, Kotanidou A, Papadomichelakis E, Armaganidis A, Routsi C, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ. Clarithromycin Leads to Long-Term Survival and Cost Benefit in Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia and Sepsis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2016 May 23;60(6):3640-6. doi: 10.1128/AAC.02974-15. Print 2016 Jun.
• Results Schultz MJ, Speelman P, Hack CE, Buurman WA, van Deventer SJ, van Der Poll T. Intravenous infusion of erythromycin inhibits CXC chemokine production, but augments neutrophil degranulation in whole blood stimulated with Streptococcus pneumoniae. J Antimicrob Chemother. 2000 Aug;46(2):235-40. doi: 10.1093/jac/46.2.235.
• Results Kanoh S, Rubin BK. Mechanisms of action and clinical application of macrolides as immunomodulatory medications. Clin Microbiol Rev. 2010 Jul;23(3):590-615. doi: 10.1128/CMR.00078-09.
• Karakike E, Scicluna BP, Roumpoutsou M, Mitrou I, Karampela N, Karageorgos A, Psaroulis K, Massa E, Pitsoulis A, Chaloulis P, Pappa E, Schrijver IT, Frantzeskaki F, Lada M, Dauby N, De Bels D, Floros I, Anisoglou S, Antoniadou E, Patrani M, Vlachogianni G, Mouloudi E, Antoniadou A, Grimaldi D, Roger T, Wiersinga WJ, Tsangaris I, Giamarellos-Bourboulis EJ. Effect of intravenous clarithromycin in patients with sepsis, respiratory and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome: a randomized clinical trial. Crit Care. 2022 Jun 18;26(1):183. doi: 10.1186/s13054-022-04055-4.

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