A Retrospective Study on the Effects of Convalescent Plasma Therapy in 24 Patients Diagnosed with COVID-19 Pneumonia in February and March 2020 at 2 Centers in Wuhan, China.

Abstract

BACKGROUND This retrospective study aimed to describe the effects of convalescent plasma therapy in 24 patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia due to severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection during February and March 2020 in Wuhan, China. MATERIAL AND METHODS The confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection was made by the reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and laboratory test reports of patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia who received a convalescent plasma transfusion. RESULTS A total of 24 patients with COVID-19 pneumonia who were transfused with ABO-compatible convalescent plasma were enrolled in the study. Convalescent plasma transfusion showed an effective clinical outcome in 14 of 24 patients (an effective rate of 58.3%). No patients had an adverse reaction to the transfusion. Compared with before convalescent plasma transfusion, the lymphocyte count after convalescent plasma transfusion increased to a normal level (median: 0.80×10⁹/L vs. 1.12×10⁹/L, P=0.004). Other laboratory indicators such as white blood cells, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, procalcitonin, alanine aminotransferase, and aspartate transaminase showed a decreasing trend after transfusion. CONCLUSIONS This retrospective observational clinical study showed that convalescent plasma therapy could have beneficial effects on patient outcomes. Recently, regulatory authorization has been given for the use of convalescent plasma therapy, and clinical guidelines have been developed for the collection and use of convalescent plasma and hyperimmune immunoglobulin in patients with COVID-19.

• Authors: Shuang Huang, Changxin Shen, Chengliang Xia, Xiaoxing Huang, Yourong Fu, Li Tian
• Journal: Medical science monitor : international medical journal of experimental and clinical research (Med Sci Monit) Vol. 26 Pg. e928755 (Dec 02 2020) ISSN: 1643-3750 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 33264276 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Multicenter Study, Observational Study)

Chemical References

• RNA, Viral

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Blood Component Transfusion (methods)
• COVID-19 (diagnosis, immunology, therapy, virology)
• COVID-19 Nucleic Acid Testing
• China
• Female
• Humans
• Immunization, Passive (methods)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• RNA, Viral (isolation & purification)
• Retrospective Studies
• Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction
• SARS-CoV-2 (genetics, immunology, isolation & purification)
• Severity of Illness Index
• Treatment Outcome
• COVID-19 Serotherapy