Evidence mapPaperPMID 40969554Full record

SynthesisFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology2025

Efficacy of thymosin α1 for sepsis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Bin Gu, Yu Zhou, Yao Nie, Luhao Wang, Liqun Liang, Zihuai Liao, Jingyi Wen, Xiangdong Guan, Minying Chen, Jianfeng Wu and 1 more

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Frontiers in cellular and infection microbiology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

11 authors.

Bin Gu *Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Yu Zhou *Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Yao Nie *Department of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Luhao WangDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Liqun LiangDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Zihuai LiaoDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jingyi WenDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Xiangdong GuanDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Minying ChenDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Jianfeng WuDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Fei PeiDepartment of Critical Care Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Despite advances in understanding sepsis pathophysiology and extensive research, few treatments effectively target its underlying immune dysfunction. Thymosin α1 (Tα1) shows promise as an immunomodulator, but its impact on sepsis remains unclear. Methods: A search strategy was designed to include any prospective clinical studies using Tα1 for assessing 28-day mortality in patients with sepsis, excluding combination therapy studies. We conducted trial sequential analysis (TSA) to assess the robustness of meta-analyses findings. Heterogeneity of treatment effects (HTE) was conducted based on individual data from two multicenter randomized clinical trials (RCTs), with result credibility assessed through the instrument to assess the credibility of effect modification analyses (ICEMAN). Results: Out of 3003 identified studies, 11 RCTs met the inclusion criteria (967 patients in Tα1 group and 960 patients in control group). The comprehensive meta-analysis demonstrated a significant reduction in 28-day mortality associated with Tα1 administration (OR 0.73, 95%CI: 0.59-0.90, Conclusion: Tα1 has the potential to decrease 28-day mortality rates in patients with sepsis; however, it is crucial to recognize that its efficacy differs among various subgroups. These observations underscore the significance of personalized immunotherapy strategies in forthcoming clinical trials. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier CRD42024628937.

Indexed as

SepsisThymalfasinThymosinHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTreatment OutcomeThymalfasinThymosinheterogeneity of treatment effectspersonalized immunotherapysepsisthymosin α1trial sequential analysis

Identifiers

PMID40969554
PMCPMC12440967

What Socratic holds

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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.