Efficacy Evaluation of Thymosin Alpha 1 in Non-severe Patients With COVID-19: A Retrospective Cohort Study Based on Propensity Score Matching

https://doi.org/10.3389/fmed.2021.664776

Among 1,388 enrolled patients, 232 patients (16.7%) received both Thymosin-alpha1 therapy and standard therapy (Thymosin-alpha1 group), and 1,156 patients (83.3%) received standard therapy (control group). The proportion of patients that progressed to severe COVID-19 is 2.17% for the Thymosin-alpha1 group and 2.71% for the control group (p = 0.736). The COVID-19-related mortality is 0.54% for the Thymosin-alpha1 group and 0 for the control group (p = 0.317). Compared with the control group, the Thymosin-alpha1 group had significantly shorter SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding duration (13 vs. 16 days, p = 0.025) and hospital stay (14 vs. 18 days, p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was found between the Thymosin-alpha1 group and control group in duration of symptoms (median, 4 vs. 3 days, p = 0.843) and antibiotic utilization rate (14.1% vs. 15.2%, p = 0.768). For non-severe patients with COVID-19, Thymosin-alpha1 can shorten viral RNA shedding duration and hospital stay but did not prevent COVID-19 progression and reduce COVID-19-related mortality rate.

Tags: