Intermittent Therapy for MAC Pulmonary Infections?

Mycobacterium avium complex lung disease (MAC-LD) is increasing in prevalence. One form, nodular bronchiectatic (NB) disease, frequently involves the right middle lobe and lingula and occurs predominantly in nonsmoking, postmenopausal women. Although the American Thoracic Society recommended three-times-weekly (“intermittent”) therapy for noncavitary MAC-LD in 2007, data to support its use in NB disease are limited.

Now, in an observational cohort study involving 217 patients with NB MAC-LD in Seoul, South Korea between 2005 and 2013, researchers have compared daily and intermittent therapy. Patients who began treatment before January 2011 received therapy daily; those who began treatment later received it three times weekly. For the 99 pati…