Impact of thymosin alpha on biochemical markers and mortality in covid 19 patients: a retrospective study

ABSTRACT

Background: Immune-mediated lung injury and complex changes of the immune system, such as lymphopenia and cytokine storm, that have been associated with adverse outcomes underlining a fundamental role of host response in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection and the pathogenesis of the disease. Thymosin alpha 1 (Ta1) is one of the molecules used in the management of COVID-19, because it is known to restore the homeostasis of the immune system during infections and cancer. Aim(s) To study the impact of thymosin alpha on the biochemical markers and mortality in covid 19 patients. Methodology: A retrospective, single-centred study including 127 patients with laboratory detected moderate to severe SARS-CoV-2 infection admitted to designated COVID-19 centre in a tertiary care hospital from September 2021 to March 2022 was done. 52 patients received thymosin alpha 1 and their results were compared with 75 patients who received standard care without thymosin alpha. Clinical records, laboratory data, and radiological findings were analysed of patients treated with thymosin alpha 1 to evaluate the role of treatment outcome. Result(s) hospital mortality was 7.6% (n = 4) in the thymosin group as compared to 9.3% (n = 7) in the non-thymosin group. 40 patients in the thymosin group had increased CRP levels on day 1 as compared to 61 in the non-thymosin group. On day 5, 11 patients in thymosin group had increased levels as compared to 47 patients in the nonthymosin group with a significant p-value of<0.001. Statistically significant results were obtained on day 10, only 7 patients in the thymosin group had increased levels as compared to 30 in the nonthymosin group. On day 1, 46 patients in the thymosin group had increased level of IL-6 as compared to 53 in the non-thymosin group. Serial monitoring on day 5 showed that in thymosin group, 18 patients had increased levels as compared to 44 patients in the non-thymosin group (with a significant of<0.05). Again, on day 1difference was statistically significant when in thymosin group only 5 patients had elevated levels as compared to 23 in non-thymosin group. Conclusion(s) Significant difference was seen in terms of biochemical parameters but that could not be translated in clinical improvement in terms of mortality rates.