Hassan Abolghasemi; Abdol Majid Cheraghali; AbbasAli ImaniFooladi; Peyman Eshghi; Mokhtar Tazik; Nariman Sadri; Farzaneh BoloukiMoghaddam; Mohammad Rezapour; sina Imanizadeh; Matin Maeini Maleki; Mohammad Hosein Ranjkesh; Hoshyar Maghsoudi; Mahtab Maghsoodlu; NasimSadat HosseiniDivkolaye; Ramezan Jafari; Behzad Einollahi; Mohamad Nikpouraghdam; Zahra Soleimani; Ali Bahramifar; Hassan Goodarzi; Nematollah JoneidiJafari; Mojtaba Sepandi; Ali Ghazvini; Seyed Mohammad Javad Hoseini; Mohammad Hadi Radfar
Volume 23, Issue 9 , 2021
Abstract
Background: Convalescent plasma (CP) transfusion is one of the suggested treatments for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) especially in critically ill patients.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of CP transfusion were investigated in severe/critically ill COVID-19 ...
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Background: Convalescent plasma (CP) transfusion is one of the suggested treatments for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) especially in critically ill patients.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of CP transfusion were investigated in severe/critically ill COVID-19 patients.
Methods: This study was performed on 50 consecutive COVID-19 patients with severe/critically ill disease. Severe disease was defined as having at least one of the following symptoms: shortness of breath, respiratory frequency ? 20/min, blood oxygen saturation ? 93%, partial pressure of arterial oxygen to fraction of inspired oxygen ratio < 300, lung infiltrates > 50% within the last 24-48 h. Critically ill disease was identified by intensive care unit admission, respiratory failure, septic shock, or multiple organ dysfunction or failure. Primary outcomes included the safety of CP transfusion, 14-day and 30-day survival rate, and change in lung computed tomography (CT) scan score. Several other clinical and laboratory features were evaluated as the secondary outcomes.
Results: Based on the results, 21 out of 50 consecutive patients were on mechanical ventilation at the time of CP transfusion. In total, 32 patients (64%) survived 30 days after CP transfusion. The survival rates were 74% and 44% in patients who received CP < 7 and ? 7 days after admission, respectively. While 92% of patients without mechanical ventilation survived, the survival rate of patients on mechanical ventilation was 29%. Moreover, the CT scan score and some other clinical features were improved in the group that received CP transfusion, and no adverse effects were observed.
Conclusion: The CP transfusion is a safe and effective treatment in severe/critically ill COVID-19 patients. The best outcome can be achieved in patients who are not on mechanical ventilation, especially early in the disease course.
