A new research suggests that antibiotics may prove useful in the treatment of asthma. A study, which included 278 patients, proved that an antibiotic, Telithromycin, made by French drug-maker Sanofi-Aventis, can reduce symptoms of asthma and improve lung function. The drug, which is normally used to treat sinusitis, reduced recovery time after the attacks. Patients took part in the study within 24 hours of needing medical care for an acute asthma attack. They were split into two groups: both of the groups were given usual treatment for asthma, while the first was given 800 mgs of Telithromycin daily, for 10 days, and the other placebo. Compared to the patients who were given placebo, the symptoms and lung function, for those who took Telithromycin, significantly improved. The drug reduced the time of recovery, from 8 to 5 days. The majority of acute asthma attacks are linked to a viral infection, unaffected by antibiotics, but researchers believe that the data shown by Telithromycin result after the drug attacks 2 bacteria, Chlamydophila pneumoniae and Mycoplasma pneumoniae, which play an important part in worsening the attacks, being present in 61% of the patients involved in the current study. "Although we're not sure about the exact mechanism which caused this antibiotic to be effective, this study indicates it does clearly have a beneficial effect. We still need further trials to confirm these results, to investigate the mechanisms of action of this treatment, to see if the same benefits are seen with other related antibiotics and, also, to see which patients are most likely to benefit," said the researchers.