[Clinical effects of ulinastatin and thymosin alpha1 on immune-modulation in septic patients]

To analyze clinical effect of immuno-modulatory therapy with ulinastatin and thymosin alpha1 on patients with sepsis.

Two hundred and forty-two septic patients admitted to Guangzhou General Hospital of Guangzhou Military Command intensive care unit (ICU) during 2004.10-2008.6 were included, and they were randomly divided into treatment group (128 cases) and control group (114 cases). The patients in control group were given regular conventional treatment according to Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) in 2004, including early fluid resuscitation, antibiotic therapy, mechanical ventilation (MV) and blood purification. The treatment group received conventional treatment plus immuno-modulation therapy including ulinastatin (first 200 kU injection intravenous twice a day for 4 days and 100 kU for another 6 days) and thymosin alpha1 (1.6 mg subcutaneous twice a day for 4 days, followed by 1.6 mg per day subcutaneous for another 6 days). The total treatment course was 10 days. General demographics were observed, and acute physiology and chronic health evaluation II (APACHE II) scores were recorded. Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6), IL-10 levels of peripheral blood were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Peripheral blood CD14(+) monocyte human leucocyte antigen DR (HLA-DR) expression, and ratio of helper T lymphocyte 1 (Th1) cytokines interferon-gamma (CD4(+)IFN-gammaww(+)), and Th2 cytokines (CD4(+) IL-4(+)) were assessed with flow cytometer. Duration of infection and MV, length of ICU stay, rate of development of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) and mortality rate on 28 days were observed as end-point.

Before treatment, there was no difference in all biomarkers between two groups (all P>0.05). After treatment, peripheral blood CD14ww+ monocyte HLA-DR expression and the ratio of CD4(+)IFN-gamma (+)/CD4(+) IL-4(+) increased significantly in the treatment group (both P<0.05), with serum IL-6, IL-10 levels and APACHE II scores all reduced remarkably (all P<0.05). The values showed significant differences compared with those of control group (all P<0.05). The MODS development rate in the treatment group was much lower than that of control group (21% vs. 47%, P<0.05), and the length of use of MV was significantly reduced [(6.08+/-2.46) days vs. (8.23+/-3.47) days, P<0.05]. There was no difference in the infection duration and length of ICU stay (both P>0.05). The mortality rate on 28 days in the treatment group was much lower than that in control group (20% vs. 33%, P<0.05).

The immuno-modulation therapy of ulinastatin and thymosin alpha1 can remarkably improve the duration of MV and the development rate of MODS and mortality rate on 28 days in the patients with sepsis, probably due to its effect in ameliorating the immuno-imbalance state of the patients. However, the duration of infection and length of ICU stay are not effected.