Abstract
Aim: To evaluate effectiveness of a long-term treatment with high-dose acetylcysteine (NAC) in patients with chronic course of EAA.
Materials and methods: We studied 24 patients with chronic course of morphologically verified EAA. Group 1 (14 patients) received prednisolone, 15 mg/day, and NAC, 1800 mg/day.Group 2 (10 patients) received prednisolone, 15 mg/day, and cyclophosphamide, 0.2 g intravenously twice a week. We evaluated clinical symptoms (cumulative index), a 6-minute walk test, spirometry, computed tomography (CT) of the lungs by Kazerooni, before and after the treatment. The reliability of differences was established using the Wilcocson test.
Results: There was no reliable difference between the groups. The analysis of the data within the both groups revealed improvement of clinical symptoms, MEF 75 rates, longer distances in 6-minute walk tests, better CT results due to the alveolar component. In group 2 we also observed increasing rates of VCIN, FEV1, MEF50.
*p<0.05
Conclusion: Use of NACin the treatment of patients with chronic EAA is less effective versus cyclophosphamide.
- © 2013 ERS
