thymosin and Arthralgia

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is an infectious disease and some of its symptoms were clinically indistinguishable of those from similar diseases. This study aimed to find the symptom combinations associated with adverse outcome and the therapeutic effects in a cohort of patients with probable SARS retrospectively. In 2003, 123 SARS cases in Beijing were subjected to a strictly western medicine (WM) treatment, or a combined treatment (WM plus Herba houttuyniae injection, addition of individualized herbal treatments when necessary), of which 115 were followed till death or discharge; 8 were transferred and lost to follow-up. In both treatment groups, clinical manifestations were evaluated daily; development of signs and symptoms, and their possible relationship with outcome, were assessed. The relationships between these sign/symptom complexes and outcome under two treatment protocols were evaluated and differences were noted. Dynamic symptom combinations, dividing into the early, the medium-term and the durational symptom clusters, were identified as likely being related to the adverse outcomes of SARS (p < 0.05, p < 0.01). Compared with a strictly WM treatment, the combined treatment resulted in a longer hospital stay (p = 0.028), a non-statistically significant mortality rate decrease (combined treatment: 9.6% versus WM: 11.1%), and a significant improvement of arthralgia and myalgia (p < 0.05) in the early symptom cluster. Additionally, the combined protocol improved arterial oxyhemoglobin saturation significantly at day 22 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the progress and outcome of SARS may be associated with specific temporal patterns of development in combination of several non-specific signs and symptom complexes, which are also helpful for evaluating the therapeutic effects on SARS patients.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Antiviral Agents; Arthralgia; China; Cohort Studies; Combined Modality Therapy; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Glucocorticoids; Hemofiltration; Houttuynia; Humans; Length of Stay; Male; Medicine, Chinese Traditional; Middle Aged; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; Oxyhemoglobins; Phytotherapy; Ribavirin; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus; Thymosin

Aromatase inhibitors can cause joint symptoms. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the feasibility of immunologic therapies for this kind of joint symptoms.. A total of 16 postmenopausal women with stage I-III breast cancer with joint symptoms related to Aromatase inhibitors were enrolled. They received immunologic therapies of thymosin α1 1.6 mg, twice a week for 4 weeks. Outcome measures included the Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis index, and the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General quality of life measure. Interferon-gamma and interleukin-4 were determined to evaluate immunomodulatory activity. Paired Samples Test and linear regression analysis were used to statistics the outcome measures.. From baseline to the end of treatment, patients reported improvement in the mean Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form worst pain scores (5.7-3.4, P < 0.001), pain severity (3.9-2.9, P = 0.01), and pain-related functional interference (4.2-1.8, P < 0.001), as well as the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis function subscale and Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General physical well-being (P < 0.001 and P < 0.001, respectively). No adverse events were reported. The mean serum concentrations for secretion of interferon-gamma were significantly lower (P < 0.001); serum concentrations of interleukin 4 were higher (P = 0.02).. Immunologic therapies could play a role in reducing Aromatase inhibitor- related joint symptoms in breast cancer survivors and affecting the immune system in powerful ways. The improvements of immune system were associated with aromatase inhibitor-related joint symptoms.

Topics: Aromatase Inhibitors; Arthralgia; Breast Neoplasms; Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; Drug Administration Schedule; Feasibility Studies; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Immunotherapy; Pain Measurement; Patient Satisfaction; Pilot Projects; Severity of Illness Index; Survivors; Thymosin; Treatment Outcome