[The use of thymopentin in preventing acute infectious relapses in elderly subjects with COPD]

In this study the authors considered the effectiveness of thymus hormone in the prevention of acute infections within a group of elderly subjects affected by COPD. Ten subjects were considered, nine males and one female in the age included between 65 and 89 years (medium age = 70.2 +/- 6.96 years), with clinical evaluation and altered functional respiratory tests (FEV1 < 70%). The patients were treated with timopentina 50 mg s c three times a week for a month. The following parameters were considered: leucocytes/mm3; lymphocytes/mm3 in standard conditions, in the first and in the second month after the therapy start, contagious episodes two months before and two months after the beginning of therapy. The Authors noticed a real reduction in the relapses of the infectious episodes (11 relapses in the months before therapy and 2 relapses after therapy had begun). Leucocytes/mm3 rates were reduced (8.070 +/- 3.414 in standard conditions, 6.420 +/- 1.041 after 60 days; 0.2 < P < 0.1). Lymphocytes/mm3 rates were increased, 1.579 +/- 752 in standard conditions, 2103 +/- 491 after 60 days 0.2 < P < 0.1). These preliminary data seem to show in the small number of cases considered, the effectiveness of the thymus hormone (thymopentina) in elderly subjects affected by COPD.