Another study questions “convalescent plasma” as a COVID-19 treatment

(HealthDay): Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, anecdotal reports suggested that infusing very ill patients with the blood plasma of survivors of the disease could help improve outcomes.

But the study results were released on November 24 on New England Journal of Medicine, coupled with disappointing results from previous studies, suggest those initial hopes may have been unfounded.

The new study was conducted by researchers in Argentina. It compared the results of 228 hospitalized COVID-19 patients who received an infusion of the so-called “convalescent plasma” with those of 105 patients who did not (the “placebo group”). They were all so sick that they developed pneumonia.

However, one month later, “no significant difference was noted between the convalescent plasma group and the placebo group” in terms of clinical outcomes, with approximately 11% of patients dying in both groups, according to a team led by the Dr. VA Simonovich of the Italian Hospital of Buenos Aires.

The theory behind the use of survivors’ blood plasma in people battling COVID-19 is that the plasma contains immune system agents that could help recipients in their fight against the disease.

But an earlier study from India, this time in patients with “moderate” COVID-19, also found little benefit of treatment in preventing the disease from progressing to a more severe stage. The study was led by Dr Anup Agarwal, of the Indian Council of Medical Research in New Delhi, and was published on 22 October in BMJ.

According to a US expert not linked to either study, it may be time to forgo convalescent plasma as a viable treatment for COVID-19.

“There have been several major studies that have shown the same results: convalescent plasma does not appear to have an impact on the course of COVID-19,” said Dr Mangala Narasimhan. He is senior vice president and director of critical care services at Northwell Health, in New Hyde Park, NY

Narasimhan also noted that in the Argentine trial, “even with a good measurement of the amount of antibodies they were giving people [in the transfusions], no benefit was found. “

He believes other treatments should remain first-line options for severe COVID-19.

“The new monoclonal antibodies will give a more targeted and reliable antibody load to COVID-19 patients and could have an impact on the course of the disease if given soon after the positive tests,” Narasimhan said.

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