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Review
[English]
Current and emerging treatment strategies for Mycobacterium avium complex pulmonary disease: a narrative review
Chiwook Chung
Received February 23, 2025  Accepted March 14, 2025  Published online March 26, 2025  
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12771/emj.2025.00080    [Epub ahead of print]
The Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), comprising M. avium and M. intracellulare, constitutes the predominant cause of nontuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary disease (NTM-PD) in Korea, followed by the M. abscessus complex. Its global prevalence is increasing, as shown by a marked rise in Korea from 11.4 to 56.7 per 100,000 individuals between 2010 and 2021, surpassing the incidence of tuberculosis. Among the older adult population (aged ≥65 years), the prevalence escalated from 41.9 to 163.1 per 100,000, accounting for 47.6% of cases by 2021. Treatment should be individualized based on prognostic indicators, including cavitary disease, low body mass index, and positive sputum smears for acid-fast bacilli. Current therapeutic guidelines recommend a 3-drug regimen—consisting of a macrolide, rifampin, and ethambutol—administered for a minimum of 12 months following culture conversion. Nevertheless, treatment success rates are only roughly 60%, and over 30% of patients experience recurrence. This is often attributable to reinfection rather than relapse. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing for clarithromycin and amikacin is essential, as resistance significantly worsens prognosis. Ethambutol plays a crucial role in preventing the development of macrolide resistance, whereas the inclusion of rifampin remains a subject of ongoing debate. Emerging therapeutic strategies suggest daily dosing for milder cases, increased azithromycin dosing, and the substitution of rifampin with clofazimine in severe presentations. Surgical resection achieves a notable sputum conversion rate of approximately 93% in eligible candidates. For refractory MAC-PD, adjunctive therapy with amikacin is advised, coupled with strategies to reduce environmental exposure. Despite advancements in therapeutic approaches, patient outcomes remain suboptimal, highlighting the urgent need for novel interventions.
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