title: Thymosin α1 plus routine treatment inhibit inflammatory reaction and improve the quality of life in AECOPD patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Thymosin α1 (Tα1) is considered to be a promising immunomodulatory drug and could balance immunity and tolerance in immune tolerance and autoimmunity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To explore the efficacy of Tα1 plus routine complex treatment in patients with acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD).
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighty-four AECOPD patients were enrolled and randomized into an experimental group and a control group. All patients received the routine treatment. Additionally, the experimental group received subcutaneous injections of Tα1 while the control group received placebo. Four weeks later, the curative effect of treatment and immune function of both groups were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Partial pressures of oxygen (PaO2), PaCO2, and pulmonary function of the experimental group improved after treatment compared to that recorded prior to treatment and that observed for the control group (p < 0.01, both). The CD4(+) T cell count, serum interferon (IFN)-γ levels, and the ratios of CD4(+)/CD8(+) and IFN-γ/interleukin (IL)-4 increased in both groups (p < 0.01), while the CD8(+) T cell count and levels of IL-4, IL-8, and leukotrienes B4 (LTB4) decreased as expected (p < 0.01). Meanwhile, the above-mentioned indices of the experimental group improved significantly compared to the indices of the control group (p < 0.05 or 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tα1 plus routine treatment could improve the immune function of AECOPD patients and inhibit the inflammatory reaction, thus reducing the recurrence of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
authors.affiliation: Department of Imaging and Nuclear Medicine and.
authors.forename: Zhiyang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Jia
authors.forename: Zihui
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Rui
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Linyu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000368:Aged; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D000077596:Thymalfasin; D013947:Thymosin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D016207:Cytokines; D013947:Thymosin; D000077596:Thymalfasin
keywords: Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; COPD; immune function; routine treatment; thymosin α1