Pediatria pre prax 6/2008

USE OF IMMUNOSTIMULATING DRUGS IN CHILDREN WITH FREQUENT RESPIRATORY TRACT INFECTIONS

Immunomodulators of bacterial origin are the most frequently used immunostimulating drugs in a practice of general pediatrics. These drugs are used mainly in children with frequent respiratory tract infections in order to decrease the frequency or severity of these infections. The treatment usually does not induce adverse reactions, but it should not be overused mainly if no positive effect of the treatment is seen, or if there is a clinical or laboratory suspicion of autoimmune disease. There is also a risk a of a delay of necessary immunological investigation in children with severe primary or secondary immunodeficiencies.

Keywords: immunomodulation, immunodeficiency, respiratory tract infections.