Design.
Four arm, patient level randomized trial (N=3200). Comparators: Rescue inhaled corticosteroids (R-ICS) versus azithromycin versus R-ICS plus azithromycin versus control patients. All arms will include home monitoring of asthma symptoms using various web application approaches. R-ICS therapy will consist of a corticosteriod/formoterol inhaler, a stand-alone ICS inhaler used with usual rescue therapy or when available a combination corticosteroid/albuterol inhaler, the initial azithromycin dose will be 500mg (10mg/Kg) three times a week and may be titrated down to 250mg (10mg/Kg) three times per week for side effects. Exacerbations will be blindly adjudicated. Individuals who experience three exacerbations in < 12 months will have their treatments "stepped-up,"unless in the dual treatment arm; control participants going to R-ICS and single therapy participants to dual therapy. Individuals completing either of the azithromycin arms will be offered up to 12 additional months of follow-up after stopping the azithromycin only.