Improvement of antioxidant status in the treatment of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in children with disabilities using a new dosage regimen of recombinant interferon-alpha-2b with antioxidants

The problem of treatment and prevention of acute respiratory viral infections in children with functional and morphofunctional health conditions has not been sufficiently studied.

Objective: to study the pharmacological properties of recombinant interferon-alpha-2b with antioxidants (VIFERON^®, rectal suppositories) in the complex therapy of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections (ARVI) in children of II—IV health groups.

Materials and methods: 66 children of II— IV health groups with moderate acute respiratory viral infections aged from 1 month to 18 years, randomized into two groups: group 1 — children who received in complex therapy VIFERON^®, rectal suppositories (new modified regimen, dosage according to age: 1 month — 3 years — 500,000 IU 2 times a day for 5 days, then 150,000 IU 2 times daily for 5 days; 3—7 years — 500,000 IU 2 times a day for 5 days, then 500,000 IU 1 time a day in the morning and 150,000 IU 1 time a day in the evening for 5 days; 7—18 years old — 1,000,000 IU 1 time a day in the morning and 500,000 IU 1 time a day in the evening for 5 days, then 500,000 IU 2 times a day for 5 days); group 2 — children who received symptomatic therapy and a placebo drug. The therapy was carried out for 10 days, and patients were monitored 1, 3, and 6 months after the end of treatment.

Results: recombinant interferon-alpha-2b with antioxidants in the complex therapy of acute respiratory viral infections significantly reduces the level of malonic dialdehyde (0.92 nmol/ml compared with placebo — 1.10 nmol/ml (p = 0.026)) and significantly increases the levels of the antioxidant enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (GP) in red blood cells (8118.38 and 6973.43 Units/l, respectively, p = 0.003) and non-enzymatic antioxidant glutathione — 1403.63 and 1291.04 mmol/l, respectively, p = 0.005. There was also a significant increase in serum total antioxidant activity (AOA) levels (1.73 and 1.64 mmol/L, respectively, p = 0.017) against the background of a significant reduction in recovery time (5.38 and 8.06 days, respectively, p < 0.001).

Conclusion: the inclusion of recombinant interferon-alpha-2b with antioxidants (VIFERON^®, rectal suppositories) in a modified dosage regimen in the complex therapy of moderate acute respiratory viral infections significantly increases the functioning of the antioxidant defense system and reduces the content of malonic dialdehyde, the end product of cell membrane degradation, in the blood serum of children of II—IV health groups in a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

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