SAFETY AND EFFICACY OF THYMIC PEPTIDES IN THE TREATMENT OF HOSPITALIZED COVID-19 PATIENTS IN HONDURAS.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) active cases continue to demand the development of safe and effective treatments. This is the first clinical trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of oral thymic peptides. ; We conducted a nonrandomized phase 2 trial with a historic control group to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a daily 250-mg oral dose of thymic peptides in the treatment of hospitalized Covid-19 patients. Comparisons based on standard care from registry data were performed after propensity score matching. The primary outcomes were survival, time to recovery, and number of participants with treatment-related adverse events or side effects by day 20. ; A total of 44 patients were analyzed in this study: 22 in the thymic peptide group and 22 in the standard care group. There were no deaths in the intervention group compared to 24% mortality in standard care by day 20 (log-rank P=0.02). Kaplan-Meier analysis showed a significantly shorter time to recovery by day 20 in the thymic peptide group than in the standard care group (median, 6 days vs. 12 days; hazard ratio for recovery, 2.75 [95% confidence interval, 1.34 to 5.62]; log-rank P=0.002). No side effects or adverse events were reported. ; In patients hospitalized with Covid-19, the use of thymic peptides resulted in no side effects, adverse events, or deaths by day 20. Compared with the registry data, a significantly shorter time to recovery and mortality reduction were measured.

The role of bacterial toxins in sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

There is increasing evidence for the involvement of bacterial toxins in some cases of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), particularly the pyrogenic toxins of Staphylococcus aureus. This had led to the hypothesis that some SIDS deaths are due to induction of inflammatory mediators by infectious agents or their products during a period in which the infant is unable to control these normally protective responses. The genetic, developmental and environmental risk factors identified for SIDS are assessed in relation to frequency or density of mucosal colonisation by toxigenic bacteria and their effects on induction and control of inflammatory responses to the toxins.

Distribution of prenatal and postnatal risk factors for sudden infant death in Budapest.

OBJECTIVE: To study the distribution of prenatal and postnatal risk factors for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS). DESIGN: A questionnaire-based survey for SIDS risk factors; family interviews were performed among the parents of SIDS victims and symptom-free infants. SETTING: The survey was conducted in paediatric primary health care units in Budapest, Hungary in the period 1996 to 1998. SUBJECT: Eighteen SIDS cases and 74 symptom-free healthy infants aged 7-365 days were investigated. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Occurrence of risk factors and impact of social environment were analysed using conditional logistic regression. RESULTS: In this study, the classic risk factors of small birth weight, maternal smoking, bottle-feeding did not reflect differences between the investigated groups. The prone position did not demonstrate a difference between SIDS cases and controls (p = 0.86). Short intervals between pregnancies (OR = 4.8, CI = 1.2-19.9, p = 0.025) and social disadvantage (OR = 6.7, CI = 1.3-35.7, p = 0.015) indicated significant differences between SIDS cases and controls. CONCLUSION: The outcome of our survey shows that infants from a lower social and economic environment may be at higher risk for SIDS.

Serum inhibin B concentration in a prepubertal boy with gynecomastia and Peutz-Jeghers syndrome.

Gynecomastia in boys with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome and Sertoli cell tumors of gonadal origin results from increased estrogen production due to increased aromatase activity within the testicular tumor. We present a prepubertal boy with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, gynecomastia and bilateral neoplastic Sertoli cell proliferation in whom the only abnormal hormonal profile was increased concentration of inhibin B and Pro-alpha C in serum.

Infant mortality and ischaemic heart disease in Hungary.

Hungarian mortality rate is one of the highest in Europe. We have investigated the association between poor living standards and ischemic heart disease by a detailed geographical comparison of infant mortality in 1920-1939 and death in adults from ischemic; heart disease and other leading causes of death in 1990-1994. Ischemic heart disease [r = 0.325] and malignant tumors of digestive apparatus [r = 0.562] are strongly correlated with infant mortality. A significant difference was observed in both infant and overall mortality rates between the western and eastern counties. Our results suggest that the geographical distribution of ischemic heart disease in Hungary reflects later dietary influences.