CHEST Guidelines-Treatment-With-Convalescent-Plasma-for-Critically- (1)

Treatment-With-Convalescent-Plasma-for-Critically- (1)

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In the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, as of March 24, 2020, there had been 379,661 confirmed cases and 16,428 deaths worldwide. No specific treatment for SARS-CoV-2 was recommended at the time beyond general supportive care. However, therapies like convalescent plasma received consideration due to previous successful uses in other severe viral infections like SARS and MERS.<br /><br />The document details the treatment and recovery of four critically ill SARS-CoV-2 patients who received convalescent plasma, along with supportive care. Although all four patients, which included a pregnant woman, eventually recovered, the text emphasizes the need for randomized trials to accurately evaluate the effectiveness and safety of convalescent plasma therapy.<br /><br />The first patient, a 69-year-old woman with several complications, showed a decrease in viral load and eventually recovered after receiving 900 mL of convalescent plasma. The second patient, a 55-year-old man with COPD, also demonstrated a reduction in symptoms and viral load after receiving 200 mL of convalescent plasma. The third patient, a 73-year-old man with pre-existing conditions, required more extensive care, including ECMO and multiple plasma transfusions, leading to recovery from SARS-CoV-2 but continued need for treatment of other health issues. The fourth case involved a 31-year-old pregnant woman who, despite severe initial symptoms and pregnancy-related complications, recovered after convalescent plasma transfusion.<br /><br />The results indicate that convalescent plasma can potentially benefit critically ill COVID-19 patients. However, due to concurrent treatments and variations in individual responses, its definitive clinical benefits remain uncertain. The observations call for further research through well-structured clinical trials to understand its efficacy and safety fully.

Keywords

COVID-19

SARS-CoV-2

convalescent plasma

supportive care

viral infections

randomized trials

critically ill patients

treatment recovery

pregnant woman

clinical efficacy