RESUMO
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the preventive and therapeutic effect of thymosin alpha(1) on lung infections in critical patients with tracheotomy.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Forty-two patients were randomly divided into treatment group and control group to receive daily subcutaneous thymosin injection at 11.6 mg and saline of 2 ml for 7 days, respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Compared with the control group, the infection rate, white blood cell count, C-reactive protein, tumor necrosis factor-alpha and interleukiu-6 were significantly lower in the treatment group.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Thymosin alpha(1) can be effective for prevention and treatment of lung infections in critical patients with tracheotomy and may improve the patients' immunity and prognosis.</p>