Thymopentin treatment in AIDS and pre-AIDS patients.
Three pilot studies testing thymopentin in AIDS patients are presented. One study included 5 patients with the full-blown syndrome, all treated with 50 mg thymopentin 3 times a week by intravenous slow infusion; no immunologically nor clinically positive results were observed, indicating that the T cell pool in such patients is severely depleted. Six other patients with the prodromal stage of AIDS were treated 1 month with 50 mg thymopentin administered as an intravenous bolus injection 3 times weekly and thereafter for another month with same dose regimen as intravenous slow infusions. The patients on infusion therapy experienced statistically significant immunological improvements; these positive findings were paralleled with an improvement of the patients' clinical condition. These positive responses persisted for an average of 8 months. In another group of 5 pre-AIDS patients thymopentin was administered via the subcutaneous route using 15 mg 3 times weekly; only 1 patient revealed immunological and clinical improvement. In summary, only patients with the pre-AIDS syndrome are likely to benefit from immunomodulation therapy with thymopentin, and the mode of administration seems to be crucial.
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000187:drug effects; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins / Q000494:pharmacology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D016305:Thymopentin; D013946:Thymopoietins / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D013951:Thymus Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D010835:Phytohemagglutinins; D013946:Thymopoietins; D013951:Thymus Hormones; D016305:Thymopentin