Evaluation of the efficacy of a new dosing regimen of recombinant interferon alfa-2b, rectal suppositories, in the treatment of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in children with health problems
Authors: Ermakova I.N. ,   Tver State Medical University, Tver, Russian Federation, Vyzhlova E.N. , Shuvalov A.N. , Malinovskaya V.V. ,   N.F.Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russian Federation,   N.F.Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russian Federation,   N.F.Gamaleya National Research Centre of Epidemiology and Microbiology, Moscow, Russian Federation
Published: July 2024

Objective. To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy and safety of a new modified regimen of Viferon®, rectal suppositories, compared with placebo in the complex therapy of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in children aged from one month to 18 years with functional and morphofunctional health deviations (health groups II–IV). Patients and methods. We present the results of analysis for 66 patients recruited at the State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Professional Education "Tver State Medical Academy" of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation within the framework of a multicentre double-blind placebo-controlled study of the efficacy and safety of Viferon®, rectal suppositories as a treatment for influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections. Patients were randomised into two groups – group 1 received symptomatic therapy and Viferon®, rectal suppositories, dosage according to age group. Group 2 patients received similar symptomatic therapy and placebo preparation. Therapy was carried out for 10 days, follow-up of patients – 10 days of therapy and further in 1, 3 and 6 months after the end of treatment. Statistical analysis of data was performed using biostatistical programming language R (version 4.0.3), as well as MS Word 10 and MS Excel 10 applications. Differences were considered statistically significant at p < 0.05. Results. Inclusion of Viferon®, rectal suppositories in the therapy of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in children with abnormal health status allowed to shorten the time of improvement and recovery, contributed to the reduction of the proportion of patients with complicated course of the disease compared to placebo. The use of Viferon®, rectal suppositories allowed not only therapeutic effect on the course of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections, but also promoted rapid recovery of the antioxidant defence system of the organism and prevented the development of repeated episodes of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections during follow-up. Conclusion. Complex therapy of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections in children with functional and morphofunctional abnormalities in health status (belonging to health groups II-IV) using a new modified dosing regimen of Viferon®, rectal suppositories with higher doses and duration of the course of therapy allows to reduce the time of improvement and recovery of patients compared to placebo. When using the drug Viferon®, rectal suppositories according to the new modified scheme of therapy in children with deviations in the state of health there was observed a reduction in the frequency of complicated course of influenza and other acute respiratory viral infections, as well as a decrease in recurrent episodes of the disease in the period of follow-up in 1 and 3 months. Due to highly active antioxidants included in the preparation Viferon®, rectal suppositories, its use had a favourable effect on the antioxidant defence system of the organism. Key words: influenza, ARVI, children, immunity, interferon, Viferon, antioxidant defence system of the organism