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[Preventive effect of thymomodulin in recurrent respiratory infections in children]
L Galli1, M de Martino, C Azzari
1Centro di Allergologia e di Immunologia Clinica, Clinica Pediatrica III, Università di Firenze, Italia.
Insights
Thymomodulin treatment significantly reduced recurrent respiratory infections (RRI) in children. While immune markers like Interleukin-2 showed no change, the clinical improvement in RRI children was confirmed.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
Background:
- Recurrent respiratory infections (RRI) are prevalent in early childhood.
- Environmental factors like social mixing and passive smoking are implicated in RRI.
- Immunological defects in RRI children are often transient and secondary to infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of thymomodulin in treating children with recurrent respiratory infections.
- To assess the impact of thymomodulin on the frequency of RRI episodes.
Main Methods:
- A clinical trial involving 46 children diagnosed with RRI.
- Children were divided into two groups: 23 treated with thymomodulin and 23 as a control group.
- The frequency of RRI and Interleukin-2 production were monitored before and after the trial.
Main Results:
- A significant reduction in RRI frequency was observed exclusively in the thymomodulin-treated group.
- No significant modification in Interleukin-2 production was detected in either group.
- Thymomodulin demonstrated effectiveness in reducing RRI episodes in children.
Conclusions:
- Thymomodulin treatment is effective in managing recurrent respiratory infections in children.
- The precise immunological mechanisms underlying the clinical benefits of thymomodulin require further investigation.
Abstract:
Recurrent respiratory infections (RRI) are a common occurrence in early childhood. Several investigations report the primary role of environmental factors (as early social mixing and passive smoking) in inducing RRI. In RRI children immunological defects, transient and not typical, have been often observed, but it is reasonable to suppose that they are essentially secondary to infections. Since immune modifications involve essentially cell-mediated immunity, several therapeutical attempts with thymic hormones have been carried out. In the present study the efficacy of thymomodulin was evaluated in a clinical trial in a group of children with RRI. Forty-six children suffering from RRI were enrolled on the basis of RI number in the previous year. Twenty-three children were treated with thymomodulin, twenty-three were not treated and were studied as control group. A significant reduction in the frequency of RI was noted only in treated children. Interleukin-2 production was assayed in all children before and after the trial, but not significant modification was observed in this immunological parameter. This study confirms the effectiveness of treatment with thymomodulin in RRI children, even though immunological background of clinical improvement remains to be elucidated.