Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33072240›Full record

ReviewThe World Allergy Organization journal2020

Enhancing innate immunity against virus in times of COVID-19: Trying to untangle facts from fictions.

Désirée Larenas-Linnemann, Noel Rodríguez-Pérez, Alfredo Arias-Cruz, María Virginia Blandón-Vijil, Blanca E Del Río-Navarro, Alan Estrada-Cardona, José E Gereda, Jorge A Luna-Pech, Elsy Maureen Navarrete-Rodríguez, Ernesto Onuma-Takane and 2 more

Open access · goldAbstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in The World Allergy Organization journal, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 23 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
23citing papers in PubMed
3.4field-weighted citation impact, top 6% of its field
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

23 citing papers in PubMed, 56 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
  3. Review
  4. From Legacy to Innovation: Pidotimod's Expanding Therapeutic Horizon.Mediterranean journal of hematology and infectious diseases · 2025
    Review
  5. Seven Steps in Seven Days to Managing Allergy in the Tropics.Research and reports in tropical medicine · 2025
    Article
  6. Pidotimod in pediatrics: new evidence and future perspectives.Multidisciplinary respiratory medicine · 2024
    Article
  7. Review
  8. Review
  9. Article
  10. Review
  11. Article
  12. Article
  13. Article
  14. Article
  15. Review
  16. Review
  17. Review
  18. Review
  19. Cyclodextrins in the antiviral therapy.Journal of drug delivery science and technology · 2021
    Review
  20. Review
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

12 authors at 7 institutions in 2 countries.

Désirée Larenas-LinnemannMédica Sur, Clinical Foundation and Hospital, Mexico City, Mexico.
Noel Rodríguez-PérezImmunology. Universidad Autonoma de Tamaulipas, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.
Alfredo Arias-CruzState University of Nuevo León, School of Medicine and University Hospital Dr. José Eleuterio González, Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico.
María Virginia Blandón-VijilMédica Sur, Clinical Foundation and Hospital, Mexico City, Mexico.
Blanca E Del Río-NavarroHospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Alan Estrada-CardonaCostamed, Playa Del Carmen, Quintana Roo, Mexico.
José E GeredaClínica Ricardo Palma, Lima, Peru.
Jorge A Luna-PechDepartamento de Disciplinas Filosóficas, Metodológicas e Instrumentales (CUCS), Universidad de Guadalajara, Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico.
Elsy Maureen Navarrete-RodríguezHospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez, Mexico City, Mexico.
Ernesto Onuma-TakaneFundación Clínica y Hospital Médica Sur, Ciudad de México, México, Mexico City, Mexico.
César Fireth Pozo-BeltránHospital con Especialidades Juan María Salvatierra, La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico.
María Isabel Rojo-GutiérrezMedicine Division Chief Hospital Juárez de México, Mexico City, Mexico.
Hospital Médica Sur · MXHospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez · MXAutonomous University of Tamaulipas · MXBenemerito Hospital General con Especialidades "Juan Maria de Salvatierra" · MXHospital Juárez de México · MXUniversidad de Guadalajara · MXUniversidad Ricardo Palma · PE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionIn light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, during which the world is confronted with a new, highly contagious virus that suppresses innate immunity as one of its initial virulence mechanisms, thus escaping from first-line human defense mechanisms, enhancing innate immunity seems a good preventive strategy.

methodsWithout the intention to write an official systematic review, but more to give an overview of possible strategies, in this review article we discuss several interventions that might stimulate innate immunity and thus our defense against (viral) respiratory tract infections. Some of these interventions can also stimulate the adaptive T- and B-cell responses, but our main focus is on the innate part of immunity. We divide the reviewed interventions into: 1) lifestyle related (exercise, >7 h sleep, forest walking, meditation/mindfulness, vitamin supplementation); 2) Non-specific immune stimulants (letting fever advance, bacterial vaccines, probiotics, dialyzable leukocyte extract, pidotimod), and 3) specific vaccines with heterologous effect (BCG vaccine, mumps-measles-rubeola vaccine, etc).

resultsFor each of these interventions we briefly comment on their definition, possible mechanisms and evidence of clinical efficacy or lack of it, especially focusing on respiratory tract infections, viral infections, and eventually a reduced mortality in severe respiratory infections in the intensive care unit. At the end, a summary table demonstrates the best trials supporting (or not) clinical evidence.

conclusionSeveral interventions have some degree of evidence for enhancing the innate immune response and thus conveying possible benefit, but specific trials in COVID-19 should be conducted to support solid recommendations.

Indexed as

ACE2, Angiotensin converting enzime-2APC, Antigen-presenting cellBacillus calmette-guérinBacterial vaccineBCG, Bacillus Calmette-GuérinBV, Bacterial vaccineCCL-5, Chemokine (C–C motif) ligand 5CI, Confidence intervalCNS, Central nervous systemCOVID-19COVID-19, Coronavirus disease-2019CXCR3A, CXC chemokine receptor 3ADAMPs, Damage-associated molecular patternsDC, Dendritic cellDLE, Dialyzable leukocyte extractExerciseGαs: G protein coupled receptor alfa-subunits, HSPHeat shock proteins, HLA-DRImmune responseImmunoglobulin, IGFBP6InnateInsulin-like growth-factor-binding-protein 6, ILIntercellular adhesion molecule type 1, IFNInterferon, IGInterleukin, MBSRMajor histocompatibility complex class II cell surface receptor, ICAM-1MCP-1, Monocyte chemoattractant protein-1MindfulnessMindfulness-based stress reduction, mCa++: Intramitochondrial calciumMMRMODS, Multi-organ dysfunction syndromeMyD88, Myeloid differentiation primary response 88NF-κB, Nuclear factor kappaBNK-CellNK, Natural killerNOD2, Nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-containing protein 2OR, Odds ratioOxPhos: Oxidative phosphorylation, PAMPsPathogen-associated molecular patterns, PBMCPeripheral blood mononuclear cell, PI3K/Akt: Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase pathwayPKC, Protein kinase CPPD, Purified protein derivative (tuberculin)PUFA, Polyunsaturated fatty acidR0: Basic reproduction number, REMRapid eye movement, RIPK2Reactive nitrogen species, ROSReactive oxygen species, SARS-CoV-2Receptor iteracting serine/threonine kinase 2, RNARibonucleic acid, RNSSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, SIRSSleepSystemic inflammatory response syndrome, TCR:T-cell receptorTh, T helper-cellTLR, Toll-like receptorTNF-α, Tumor necrosis factor alphaTrained immunityTRPV, Thermolabile calcium channelsURTI, Upper-respiratory tract infection

Identifiers

PMID33072240
PMCPMC7546230
OpenAlexW3091942700

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

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 OpenQuestion graph.