A hospital study of 526 severe sepsis patients found that adding the peptide thymosin‑alpha‑1 and human immunoglobulin to standard care (called "bundles") cut the time on a ventilator, shortened ICU stays, lowered disease severity scores, and reduced death rates by about 14% compared to bundles alone.

To explore the role of human immunoglobulin (Ig) and thymosin α1 therapy for severe sepsis through comparison between bundles combined with human immunoglobulin (Ig) and thymosin α1 therapy group (A group) and bundles group (B group). A total of 526 subjects with severe sepsis in the ICU were divided into two groups: bundles combined with human immunoglobulin (Ig) and thymosin α1 therapy (A group) and bundles (B group). The two groups were then divided into two subgroups: one group had a history of underlying disease (A1 group and B1 group) and the other did not (A2 group and B2 group). Data on demographics, underlying diseases, infection site, organ involvement, duration of artificial ventilation, APACHE II and SOFA scores on day-1 and day-14 after ICU admission, and duration of ICU stay, were recorded. The study lasted 28 days. A total of 526 subjects with severe sepsis in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Beijing Chaoyang Hospital (affiliated with Capital Medical University; Beijing, China) from January 2008 to December 2011 were selected. Bundles combined with human immunoglobulin (Ig) and thymosin α1 therapy was administrated to 221 patients. 305 patients were treated with bundles. Compared with the B group, the number of days of artificial ventilation was decreased (p < 0.005) and ICU stay shortened (p < 0.001) in the A group. After 14 days of treatment, APACHE II and SOFA scores were decreased (both p < 0.001). Mortality in the A group was decreased by 13.89% (p < 0.005). The survival period in the A group was longer than that of the B group (p < 0.001). Bundles combined with human immunoglobulin (Ig) and thymosin α1 therapy may reduce APACHE II and SOFA scores, shorten the time of artificial ventilation and length of ICU stay, and improve the prognosis of subjects with severe sepsis.