The use of immunomodulatory drugs during periods of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza and similar respiratory diseases, doctors have been discussing for many years. With the advent of Covid-19, discussions have become more lively: the severity of the course of the disease and the high risk of complications require more effective assistance to the immune system, than the usual seasonal colds.
Specialist comment:
– Human immune system – complex complex, in which there are no minor parts. Infection resistance is built from many bricks: protective layer of skin and mucous membranes, gut microbiota, sneezing and coughing reflexes, removing potentially dangerous microorganisms and viruses from the respiratory tract.
With germs, who nevertheless overcame the external defense, the body begins to fight in a complex way. From birth a person develops “Database” specific cells, who remember all diseases, faced and the best way to treat them.
To fight respiratory infections, including Covid-19, the body uses a whole complex of special T-lymphocytes: CD8 cells, or killer T cells and CD4 cells, that is, T-helpers.
The task of T-killers is to recognize cells infected with the virus, their marking and destruction. T-helpers, in turn, help to increase the production of T-killers, which are specific for the detected virus, and are also able to enhance the action of T-killers.
– Why is coronavirus so dangerous, if we have a respiratory infection protection system?
– The specificity of Covid-19 lies in its strangeness and novelty for humans. Trying to deal with a new virus, the body begins to randomly use all available T-lymphocytes, and cells, affected by the virus, in turn, actively release cytokines and inflammatory mediators. In an uncontrolled mode, these reactions are mutually reinforced., provoking such a phenomenon, like a cytokine storm – very dangerous condition, in which the tissues affected by the virus are simply destroyed under a massive attack of killer T cells.
The difference between coronavirus and ordinary SARS is that, that inflammation does not develop in the upper respiratory tract, who are adapted to a similar situation and are able to resist destruction, and immediately in the tissues of the lungs. Covid-19 viral pneumonia accompanied by excruciating cough, pain when breathing, high fever and the formation of blood clots in the lungs from the destroyed T-killers in an attempt to defeat tissue infection.
– How, in this case, to strengthen the immune system and avoid complications? How to avoid a cytokine storm and get immunity to Covid-19 as easy as possible?
– You can strengthen immunity in different ways.: to enhance external protection against infections, it is necessary to observe the rules of hygiene, temper and eat right. Strengthening internal immunity is achieved through vaccinations, which fill “database” T-killers, or naturally, when the body receives data about the disease in the course of treatment, as well as by increasing and stabilizing the production of T-lymphocytes.
For this, immunomodulators are used. – special synthetic substances, which regulate the production of T-killers and at the same time do not allow the development of a cytokine storm. As part of the fight against coronavirus and other acute respiratory viral infections, WHO (World health organization) recommends the use of drugs based on the synthetic immunomodulator pidotimod as a prophylaxis and addition to treatment, for example, Immunorix, which has already proven to be effective in patients with Covid-19.
More 80% patients, who took Imunorix (Pidotimod) twice a day 800 mg for ten days, avoided the development of a cytokine storm and complications. There was also a decrease in the intensity of pneumonia symptoms.: body temperature stabilized faster, the cough was less painful, and the damage to the lungs is not so significant. Moreover, the duration of the illness has decreased compared to the patients, who did not use Imunorix. Among those, who drank the drug to prevent coronavirus, there is also a mild course of the disease and a quick recovery.
Dosages of Imunorix for Covid-19 are standard for any ARVI – 2 vial by 400 mg twice a day. To reduce the intensity of the flu course and prevent complications, the drug should be taken 14 days, and to restore immunity after recovery, it is recommended to take 800 mg once a day for one and a half months.
This method allows not only to defeat respiratory infections and to consolidate data on the virus in T-lymphocytes, but also restore the body's immune defenses after illness, so, avoid possible relapses.
Based on materials from the site http://www.medlinks.ru/article.php?sid=95071
1. https://www.sechenov.ru/pressroom/news/immunitet-k-covid-19-vyrabotalsya-shest-let-nazad-ot-drugikh-prostud/
2. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/Цитокиновый_шторм
3. https://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/T-лимфоциты
4. https://www.vidal.ru/drugs/molecule/1854
5. https://www.vidal.ru/drugs/imunorix__17146
