Five (n=353) RCTs with seven valid comparisons were included in the meta-analysis.
Virological response.
End of treatment (5 comparisons, n=267): the combined OR was 0.56 (95% CI: 0.20, 1.52).
Significant heterogeneity was found between outcomes reported at 6 months (p=0.00277) and 12 months (p=0.055), so a random-effects model was also used to combine the data.
Six-month follow-up (5 comparisons, n=291): the ORs were 1.67 (95% CI: 0.83, 3.37) and 1.86 (95% CI: 0.58, 5.99) when using the fixed-effect and random-effects models, respectively, to combine the results.
Twelve-month follow-up (3 comparisons, n=207): the ORs were 2.67 (95% CI: 1.25, 5.68) and 2.70 (95% CI: 1.18, 6.19) when using the fixed-effect and random-effects models, respectively, to combine the results.
Biochemical response.
End of treatment (4 comparisons, n=257): the combined OR was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.44, 1.68).
Six-month follow-up (3 comparisons, n=209): the combined OR was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.45, 1.64).
Twelve-month follow-up (2 comparisons, n=108): the combined OR was 1.20 (95% CI: 0.51, 2.83).
Adverse events.
Local discomfort at the injection site was reported. Apart from this, there were no systemic or constitutional symptoms or biochemical abnormalities as a result of thymosin treatment.