Abstract
Introduction: Most COVID-19 cases demonstrated severe lymphocytopenia, especially in severe cases, which might lead to ineffective antiviral immunity.
Aims and objectives: The purpose of the study was to identify the role of T-cells supression in severe COVID-19 and the opportunities of its correction.
Methods: 80 patients with severe COVID-19 were prospectively enrollled in study in period from April to October 2020 in Chita Clinical Hospital. Enrollement criteria: positive test for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR; typical pattern of COVID-19 on CT-scans. The enrolled patients were randomly separated into 2 groups: I group, which received thymalin 10 mg/2ml 0.9% NaCl daily intramuscularly for 10 days + standard-of-care (SoC) treatment, and the control group (II group), which received placebo twice daily for 10 days with SoC treatment.
Results: It was found the patients in I and II groups were initially comparable in age, severity of the disease and need in respiratory support (NiV/IMV). On the day 10th after randomisation the level of CD4+ cells was higher in group I on 10th day: 333±80 VS 193±135 (p=0.011).
| Characteristics | I group (Thymaline), n=36 | II group (standard treatment), n=44 | p-level |
| Age (years) | 61,97±9,76 | 61,95±13,43 | 0.9 |
| ICU patients;n(%) | 28 (77.7%) | 34 (77.2%) | 0.96 |
| NiV/IMV; n (%) | 20 (55.5%) | 25 (56.8%) | 0.91 |
| Lymphocytes (cells) | 0.57 [0.472-0.737] | 0.89 [0.585-1.1] | 0.005 |
| Total T-Iymphocytes (cells/μL) | 287 ± 122 | 498 ± 278 | 0.005 |
| CD4+ (cells/μL) | 149 ± 66.5 | 273 ± 151 | 0.003 |
| In hospital mortality; n (%) | 7 (19,4%) | 18 (40,9%) | 0.04 |
Conclusion: The lower level of CD4-lymphocytes on 10th day of admission was associated with worse outcome in severe COVID-19. The use of thymaline can probably improve T-cells level and the clinical outcomes.
Footnotes
Cite this article as: European Respiratory Journal 2021; 58: Suppl. 65, PA3667.
This abstract was presented at the 2021 ERS International Congress, in session “Prediction of exacerbations in patients with COPD”.
This is an ERS International Congress abstract. No full-text version is available. Further material to accompany this abstract may be available at www.ers-education.org (ERS member access only).
- Copyright ©the authors 2021
