title: In vivo effects of thymic hormones (Imunotim) on immunologic parameters of patients with secondary immunodeficiency diseases.
abstract: In previous papers we revealed the immuno-restorative capacity of thymic hormones both in vitro and in vivo. This paper is concerned with the investigation in a phase I trial of the effects of a thymic extract (Imunotim) prepared in the Cantacuzino Institute, Bucharest upon patients with immunodeficiencies manifest as recurrent or persistent infections resistant to classical treatments. Twenty five testings were performed on 23 patients with secondary immunodepressions: carcinomas with immunodepressions following the acute phase of the disease or cytoreductive treatments (10 cases), allergic and autoimmune conditions (3 cases) and frequent, recurrent infections with prolonged evolution. In 73.9% of cases (17/23) after administration of Imunotim per os the immunologic parameters showed a tendency to return to normal values. In patients with low pre-therapy values the following were noticed: a remarkable increase of the number of lymphocytes from 1317.2 +/- 506.40 to 1961.1 +/- 899.11 (p < 0.01), of PMN from 1401.7 +/- 444.21 to 2651.0 +/- 755.31 (p < 0.01), of the absolute number of B lymphocytes from 192.0 +/- 79.00 to 444.8 +/- 299.75 (p < 0.05); the rise in the rate and absolute number of total T lymphocytes (628.2 +/- 192.81, 1041.0 +/- 441.84, respectively; p < 0.05), T helper (from 29.84 +/- 12.75% to 44.14 +/- 18.76%, respectively from 421.6 +/- 127.29 to 1058.7 +/- 411.05; p < 0.01 respectively p < 0.02) and the rise of the absolute number of T suppressor/cytotoxic lymphocytes from 92.8 +/- 97.11 to 368.3 +/- 368.53 (p < 0.05). In some patients with lymphocytosis and adenopathies the absolute lymphocyte number and the maturation of the lymphocyte populations and subpopulations in blood showed a decline. Individual variations could be noticed even within one and the some primary affection.
authors.affiliation: Oncologic Institute, Prof. Dr. I. Chiricuţă, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Crişan
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stugren
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Gal
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Herold
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bucurenci
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D004341:Drug Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013949:Thymus Extracts / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D013949:Thymus Extracts