Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial
We have recently demonstrated in a double-blind randomized trial the beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. We hypothesize that one of the mechanisms underlying the favorable effects of L-Arginine is its action on inflammatory cytokines. To verify our hypothesis, we...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Pharmacological Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661823000580 |
| _version_ | 1797740498757091328 |
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| author | Valentina Trimarco Raffaele Izzo Angela Lombardi Antonietta Coppola Giuseppe Fiorentino Gaetano Santulli |
| author_facet | Valentina Trimarco Raffaele Izzo Angela Lombardi Antonietta Coppola Giuseppe Fiorentino Gaetano Santulli |
| author_sort | Valentina Trimarco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We have recently demonstrated in a double-blind randomized trial the beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. We hypothesize that one of the mechanisms underlying the favorable effects of L-Arginine is its action on inflammatory cytokines. To verify our hypothesis, we measured longitudinal plasma levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines implied in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 in patients randomized to receive oral L-Arginine or placebo. The study was successfully completed by 169 patients. Patients in the L-Arginine arm had a reduced respiratory support evaluated at 10 and 20 days; moreover, the time to hospital discharge was significantly shorter in the L-Arginine group. The assessment of circulating cytokines revealed that L-Arginine significantly reduced the circulating levels of pro-inflammatory IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ and increased the levels of the anti-inflammatory IL-10. Taken together, these findings indicate that adding L-Arginine to standard therapy in COVID-19 patients markedly reduces the need of respiratory support and the duration of in-hospital stay; moreover, L-Arginine significantly regulates circulating levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:13:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-15cba89e17ab46bba420a1930ad66b85 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1096-1186 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T14:13:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Pharmacological Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-15cba89e17ab46bba420a1930ad66b852023-08-21T04:19:50ZengElsevierPharmacological Research1096-11862023-05-01191106702Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trialValentina Trimarco0Raffaele Izzo1Angela Lombardi2Antonietta Coppola3Giuseppe Fiorentino4Gaetano Santulli5Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, “Federico II” University, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Montefiore University Hospital, New York, NY, United States of AmericaCOVID-19 Division, A.O.R.N. “Ospedali dei Colli”, Naples, ItalyCOVID-19 Division, A.O.R.N. “Ospedali dei Colli”, Naples, ItalyDepartment of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, “Federico II” University, Naples, Italy; Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Montefiore University Hospital, New York, NY, United States of America; Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine – New York, NY, United States of America; Correspondence to: Albert Einstein College of Medicine – Montefiore University Hospital, 1300 Morris PARK AVENUE, Suite G35, New York City, NY, United States of America.We have recently demonstrated in a double-blind randomized trial the beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. We hypothesize that one of the mechanisms underlying the favorable effects of L-Arginine is its action on inflammatory cytokines. To verify our hypothesis, we measured longitudinal plasma levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines implied in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 in patients randomized to receive oral L-Arginine or placebo. The study was successfully completed by 169 patients. Patients in the L-Arginine arm had a reduced respiratory support evaluated at 10 and 20 days; moreover, the time to hospital discharge was significantly shorter in the L-Arginine group. The assessment of circulating cytokines revealed that L-Arginine significantly reduced the circulating levels of pro-inflammatory IL-2, IL-6, and IFN-γ and increased the levels of the anti-inflammatory IL-10. Taken together, these findings indicate that adding L-Arginine to standard therapy in COVID-19 patients markedly reduces the need of respiratory support and the duration of in-hospital stay; moreover, L-Arginine significantly regulates circulating levels of pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661823000580ArginineCOVID-19Critical CareCytokine stormInflammationIL-6 |
| spellingShingle | Valentina Trimarco Raffaele Izzo Angela Lombardi Antonietta Coppola Giuseppe Fiorentino Gaetano Santulli Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial Pharmacological Research Arginine COVID-19 Critical Care Cytokine storm Inflammation IL-6 |
| title | Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial |
| title_full | Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial |
| title_fullStr | Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial |
| title_short | Beneficial effects of L-Arginine in patients hospitalized for COVID-19: New insights from a randomized clinical trial |
| title_sort | beneficial effects of l arginine in patients hospitalized for covid 19 new insights from a randomized clinical trial |
| topic | Arginine COVID-19 Critical Care Cytokine storm Inflammation IL-6 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1043661823000580 |
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