Usage of transfer factors in treatment of HIV-Infected Patients
Granitov V.M., Karbysheva N.V., Sultanov L.V., McCausland C., Oganova E.
The Altay State Medical University; The Altay Regional Center for Prophylaxis and Treatment of AIDS, Russian Federation
INTRODUCTION: Included in this study were 25 HIV-infected patients (20 male and 5 female), ages 19 to 56 (15 patients ages 21-25). Individuals were classified according to V.I. Pokrovsky's classification (1989) for HIV-infection. Eight (8) patients were diagnosed to have stage 2B, thirteen (13) patients were stage 2C, three (3) patients were stage 3A and one (1) was stage 3B. Infection periods were as follows: nine (9) patients were infected 1 year ago, four (4) were 2 years ago, four (4) were three years ago, six (6) were 5 years ago and two (2) were 6 years ago.
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to serve as an initial trial in evaluating the effects of enhanced transfer factors supplementation on HIV-infected patients.
METHODOLOGY: The experimental group (15 patients), who did not receive antiretroviral or immuno-correcting therapy, received enhanced transfer factors. They were administered one capsule twice a day for 7 days. The control group (10 patients) consisted of HIV-infected patients taking cycloferon in the following dosage schedule: 1st, 2nd, 4th, 6th, 8th, 10th, 12th and 14th days. Before treatment and 7 to 10 days after the treatment an evaluation was carried out to access the immune status of the patient groups and to determine cytokine (interleukin 1b (IL-1b), tumor necrosis factor (TNF-a) and g-interferon (IFN-g) levels.
RESULTS: In the experimental group, it was found that after treatment with enhanced transfer factors there was an increase of lymphocytes in 13 patients, an in crease of CD3 cells in 15 patients, an increase of CD4 cells in 14 patients and an increase in CD8 cells in 12 patients. Immuno-regulating index (IRI) persisted on the same level in 3 patients was increased in 10 patients and decreased in 7 patients. IgG was reduced in 16 patients and IgM was within normal limits in all patients. An increase of IL-1b and IFN-7 was noted in all patients treated with transfer factors. Circulating Immune Complex (CIC) levels dropped to normal levels in 10 of the patients. In the control group an increase of lymphocytes was noted in only 3 patients. A decrease of CD3, CD4 and CD8 cells was noted in 6 patients. IRI persisted on the same level or decreased. CIC levels dropped to normal in 3 patients, increased in 6 patients, there was no change in 1 patient. The occurrence of increases and decreases of IgG were equal.
CONCLUSION: We conclude that transfer factors therapy considerably improves the immune status of HIV-infected patients and can be recommended in combating the pathogenesis of the disease. Further studies are needed to determine optimal therapy, the necessity to repeat courses of the treatment and the frequency of therapy needed.
AIDS and transfer factors: myths, certainties and realities.
Laboratoire d'Immunobiologie, URA 1294 CNRS, Faculte de Medecine des Saints-Peres, Paris, France.
At the end of the 20th century, the triumph of biology is as indisputable as that of physics was at the end of the 19th century, and so is the might of the inductive thought. Virtually all diseases have been seemingly conquered and HIV, the cause of AIDS, has been fully described ten years after the onset of the epidemic. However, the triumph of biological science is far from being complete. The toll of several diseases, such as cancer, continues to rise and the pathogenesis of AIDS remains elusive. In the realm of inductive science, the dominant paradigm can seldom be challenged in a frontal attack, especially when it is apparently successful, and only what Kuhn calls "scientific revolutions" can overthrow it. Thus, it is hardly surprising that the concept of transfer factor is considered with contempt, and the existence of the moiety improbable: over forty years after the introduction of the concept, not only its molecular structure remains unknown, but also its putative mode of action contravenes dogmas of both immunology and molecular biology. And when facts challenge established dogmas, be in religion, philosophy or science, they must be suppressed. Thus, results of heterodox research become henceforth nisi-i.e., valid unless cause is shown for rescinding them, because they challenge the prevalent paradigm. However, when observations pertain to lethal disorders, their suppression in the name of dogmas may become criminal. Because of the failure of medical science to manage the AIDS pandemic, transfer factors, which has been successfully used for treating or preventing viral infections, may today overcome a priori prejudice and rejection more swiftly. In science, as in life, certainties always end up by dying, and Copernicus' vision by replacing that of Ptolemy.
Publication Types:
PMID: 8993753 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
Reduced carbon monoxide transfer factors (TLCO) in human immunodeficiency virus type I (HIV-I) infection as a predictor for faster progression to AIDS.
Department of Respiratory Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, London.
BACKGROUND--In addition to the acute fall in carbon monoxide transfer factors (TLCO) associated with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP) or other opportunistic lung infections, reduced TLCO occurs in HIV-I seropositive individuals without active pulmonary disease. Abnormal TLCO, in the absence of lung disease, may be a surrogate marker of HIV-I induced immunosuppression and, therefore, a predictor for a more rapid progression to AIDS.
METHODS--Eighty four individuals with AIDS, who had regular pulmonary function tests before the diagnosis of AIDS was made, were identified from a cohort of patients with HIV-I infection. None had evidence of active pulmonary disease at the time of initial pulmonary function testing. The relation between the time taken to progress to AIDS and initial pulmonary function tests was examined with life table survival analysis.
RESULTS--Patients with a TLCO value of < 80% of predicted normal (n = 46) progressed significantly faster to AIDS, with a median time of 8.0 months compared with 16.5 months for those with a TLCO value of > or = 80% (n = 38). When stratified by AIDS defining diagnosis (PCP or non-PCP), median time to PCP was also significantly related to initial TLCO values (TLCO of < 80% = 9.0 months, TLCO of > or = 80% = 19.0 months). Reductions in other measurements of lung function (FEV1, FVC, KCO) were not temporally associated with the development of AIDS.
CONCLUSIONS--HIV-I seropositive individuals with TLCO values of < 80% predicted and no evidence of lung disease progress more rapidly to AIDS than those with TLCO values of > or = 80%.
PMID: 8322232 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
No comments:
Post a Comment