How Good Are We at Prescribing Therapy for Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease?

In a review of Medicare recipients, only 51% were started on a guideline-based MAC-PD regimen and only 18% were still on it by 12 months.

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most common cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (MAC-PD). Therapy requires at least 3 antibiotics for at least 1 year. While studies outside the U.S. have indicated poor adherence to current guidelines, U.S. data are sparse. Accordingly, researchers used Medicare data from 2006 through 2014 to study individuals aged ≥65 with a diagnosis of bronchiectasis who were prescribed ≥28 days of a macrolide plus at least one of the following: a rifamycin, a fluoroquinolone, ethambutol, or amikacin. Patients with cystic fibrosis, HIV-1 infection, and organ transplant were excluded.

Among 9198 patients, 4690 (51%) were placed on guideline-based treatment (GBT) consisting of a macrolide plus a …

Reviewing Author

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

Neil M. Ampel, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsUpToDate

Leadership Positions in Professional SocietiesCoccidioidomycosis Study Group (Past President, Secretary, Treasurer)

How Good Are We at Prescribing Therapy for Mycobacterium avium Complex Pulmonary Disease?

Topics

Reviewing Author