Tuyển tập các báo cáo nghiên cứu về y học được đăng trên tạp chí y học 'Respiratory Research cung cấp cho các bạn kiến thức về ngành y đề tài: Immune modulation in the treatment of respiratory infection. | http content 1 1 009 Commentary Immune modulation in the treatment of respiratory infection Jay K Kolls and Steve Nelson LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans Louisiana USA Ọ o 3 3 T 0 Received 28 April 2000 Revisions requested 22 May 2000 Revisions received 13 June 2000 Accepted 13 June 2000 Published 23 June 2000 Respir Res 2000 1 9-11 Current Science Ltd Print ISSN 1465-9921 Online ISSN 1465-993X Abstract The limitations of currently available treatment for severe respiratory infection are demonstrated by the relatively fixed mortality associated with these infections despite advances in nutrition vaccines antibiotics and critical care. This might be due in part to the changing spectrum of pathogens and development of drug resistance. Cytokines are potent molecules that function as growth factors and orchestrate both innate and adaptive immune responses. Several of these factors have entered the clinical arena to support or augment the immune response. Moreover the use of cytokines has recently been expanded to patients without an overtly defective immune system but who have either significant infection or infection with drug resistant organisms. The use of cytokines as adjuvants in the treatment of respiratory infections is reviewed. Keywords cytokine gene therapy immunotherapy pneumonia Critical factors that determine the severity of a respiratory infection include the strain of the pathogen specific virulence factors of the pathogen and often the integrity of the pulmonary host defense response. Acquired defects include abnormal mucociliary clearance associated with cigarette smoking 1 to co-morbid conditions such as diabetes mellitus 2 ethanol abuse 3 and an abnormal hematopoietic or immune response to the invading pathogen 4 . Among these host factors neutropenia at the time of presentation has been shown to be an independent variable correlated with mortality. Over the past decade and a half there have been several trials of anti-
