[Prevention Effect of Thymosin-alpha1 Aganist Early Ventilator-associated Pneumonia in Patients with Mechanical Ventilation].
Zhang. Song-song SS; Li. Kun K; Wang. Yu-hui YH; Ye. Ba-ning BN; Pan. Yu Y; Shi. Xian-qing XQ
Key Findings
- Thymosin‑alpha1 raised CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ ratios and CD14+ HLA‑DR levels at days 3 and 7 compared to control
- Patients receiving thymosin spent less time on mechanical ventilation and had shorter ICU stays (p<0.05)
- The onset of VAP occurred later in the thymosin group; overall VAP incidence was lower but not statistically significant
Practical Outcomes
- For biohackers interested in immune support, a 1.6 mg daily sub‑Q dose for a week may improve immune markers and speed recovery in critically ill, ventilated patients, but its ability to prevent pneumonia is modest. The evidence is limited to ICU settings, so larger trials are needed before applying this protocol to general health or performance contexts.
Summary
A small trial in 52 ICU patients found that giving thymosin‑alpha1 (1.6 mg subcutaneously each day for 7 days) boosted immune cell counts, delayed the onset of ventilator‑associated pneumonia and shortened both ventilator time and ICU stay, although the overall pneumonia rate was not significantly reduced.
Abstract
To investigate the preventive effects of thymosin-alpha1 against early ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in the patients with mechanical ventilation. Fifty two patients with expectancy of mechanical ventilation over 48 h were divided into routine therapy group (n=26) and thymosin therapy group (n= 26) in random. The patients in routine therapy group were given intensive care unit (ICU) conventional treatment, and the patients in thymosin therapy group were given thymosin treatment additionally (1.6 mg subcutaneous injection, qd X 7 d). The incidence and occurrence time of VAP were observed, and the time of mechanical ventilation and ICU stay were recorded. The levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+ /CD8+ T lymphocyte, CD14+ mononuclear cell human leukocyte antigens-DR (CD14+ HLA-DR) and procalcitonin (PCT) were detected before mechanical ventilation and at the 3d and 7th d after mechanical ventilation. The base line including the level of immunologic function had no difference between the two groups (P>0.05). The incidence of VAP in thymosin therapy group was lower than that in routine therapy group, but it was not significant difference (P>0.05). The durations of machine ventilation and ICU stay in thymosin therapy group were shorter than those in routine therapy group (P<0.05). The occurrence time of VAP in thymosin therapy group was significantly later than that in routine therapy group (P<0.05). At the 3rd and 7th d after mechanical ventilation, thymosin therapy group achived higher levels of CD3+, CD4+, CD4+ /CD8+ T lymphocyte and CD14+ HLA-DR than routine therapy group did (P<0.05). Thymosinal may be able to improve immunologic function and prevent the incidence of early VAP in the patients with mechanical ventilation.
Study Information
pubmed
2015