Clinical impressions on the treatment of multiple sclerosis with thymus factor

Nonspecific stimulation either with unfractionated thymus factor (TF) or fractions IV and VIII of TF was carried out in 13 patients with clinically definite multiple sclerosis (MS). Thymus hormones were given in a daily dose of 10 mg from 1 to 14 months. Three patients became non-tolerant to TF and were undergoing the treatment with TF IV or TF VIII. After immunostimulation 8 remained unchanged, 2 slowly improved (by one degree in Kurtzke's scale), 2 markedly worsened and 1 died. Five patients suffered 8 relapses, 3 showed slow progression and 2 developed either acute nephropyelitis or periodontitis. During this brief therapy, no convincing conclusion may be drawn regarding the effect upon the clinical course, although there is suggestion that thymus factor does not abolish the relapses in multiple sclerosis.