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A telephone interview to assess alkylglycerols' effectiveness in preventing influenza-like symptoms in Modena, Emilia Romagna, Italy, in the season 2009-2010.

OBJECTIVES
Influenza has been related to high morbity and, in children and adults over 60 years, high mortality. It brings a great burden on medical centers, which have to sustain and provide numerous patients with continuous care, especially in winter when influenza reaches the highest peak. Vaccination is still the main preventive measure to avoid serious epidemics. We propose a retrospective phone interview to assess the effect of alkylglycerols, taken immediately before the peak of influenza, to boost the immunitary system.


MATERIALS AND METHODS
A group of patients from Modena (Emilia Romagna, Italy) were included in this study. Fifty two patients were instructed to take Alkyrol®500 per os, twice a day, during the two principal meals. Sixty patients were chosen from the same familiar nucleus of the treated subjects and they were used as controls since they all had undergone traditional vaccination against H1N1 influenza.


RESULTS
Forty two out of 52 patients, treated with alkylglycerols did not report any influenza-like symptoms, while 10 out of 52 showed mild influenza-like symptoms which disappeared after 48-72 hours without the use of any drug. In the control group, 20 out of 60 patients did not show any influenza-like symptoms, while 40 out of 60 patients did.


CONCLUSIONS
Alkylglycerols may bring therapeutical benefits, support the immunitary system and prevent influenza-like symptoms. Further clinical studies are needed, not only to understand if alkylglycerols can be a valid alternative to vaccination to prevent influenza, but also to study their possible application to treat other pathological conditions.