Long-term effects of ofloxacin on clinical courses in patients with diffuse panbronchiolitis.

To ascertain the long-term effects of ofloxacin (OFX) on clinical parameters in cases of diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB), we treated 18 patients with this disease with OFX and compared the clinical findings before and after treatment. Pulmonary function tests including percent vital capacity, arterial oxygen tension and arterial-alveolar oxygen tension difference significantly improved with OFX. In addition, the incidence of acute exacerbation and the duration of hospitalization were reduced. These observations indicate that OFX is a useful drug for the management of chronic respiratory infections such as DPB.