Doxycycline Treatment for Lymphangioleiomyomatosis with Urinary Monitoring for MMPs

To the Editor: Lymphangioleiomyomatosis, a rare lung disease typically affecting women of reproductive age, is characterized by an abnormal proliferation of smooth-muscle cells and the progressive loss of pulmonary function due to destruction of lung parenchyma.¹ Long-term survival is rare; in patients with lymphangioleiomyomatosis, respiratory failure often develops within 10 years after diagnosis. Currently, there is no standard-of-care therapy for this disease, although limited success has been reported with hormone therapy or lung transplantation.The destruction of lung parenchyma has been attributed to an environment conducive to proteolysis resulting from increased expression and activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). MMP-2, in . . .