Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective
More than one year into the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare systems across the world continue to be overwhelmed with soaring daily cases. The treatment spectrum primarily includes ventilation support augmented with repurposed drugs and/or convalescent plasma transfusio...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Viruses |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/849 |
| _version_ | 1797535095345643520 |
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| author | Saly Kanj Basem Al-Omari |
| author_facet | Saly Kanj Basem Al-Omari |
| author_sort | Saly Kanj |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | More than one year into the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare systems across the world continue to be overwhelmed with soaring daily cases. The treatment spectrum primarily includes ventilation support augmented with repurposed drugs and/or convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT) from recovered COVID-19 patients. Despite vaccine variants being recently developed and administered in several countries, challenges in global supply chain logistics limit their timely availability to the wider world population, particularly in developing countries. Given the measured success of conventional CPT in treating several infections over the past decade, recent studies have reported its effectiveness in decreasing the duration and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. In this review, we conduct a literature search of published studies investigating the use of CPT to treat COVID-19 patients from January 2020 to January 2021. The literature search identified 181 records of which 39 were included in this review. A random-effects model was used to aggregate data across studies, and mortality rates of 17 vs. 32% were estimated for the CPT and control patient groups, respectively, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.49. The findings indicate that CPT shows potential in reducing the severity and duration of COVID-19 symptoms. However, early intervention (preferably within 3 days), recruitment of donors, and plasma potency introduce major challenges for its scaled-up implementation. Given the low number of existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs, four with a total of 319 patients), unanticipated risks to CPT recipients are highlighted and discussed. Nevertheless, CPT remains a promising COVID-19 therapeutic option that merits internationally coordinated RCTs to achieve a scientific risk–benefit consensus. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:39:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a16f5a58c36e430289c117a32c7ba4d4 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1999-4915 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:39:27Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Viruses |
| spelling | doaj.art-a16f5a58c36e430289c117a32c7ba4d42023-11-21T18:37:49ZengMDPI AGViruses1999-49152021-05-0113584910.3390/v13050849Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global PerspectiveSaly Kanj0Basem Al-Omari1College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab EmiratesCollege of Medicine and Health Sciences, Khalifa University of Science and Technology, Abu Dhabi 127788, United Arab EmiratesMore than one year into the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, healthcare systems across the world continue to be overwhelmed with soaring daily cases. The treatment spectrum primarily includes ventilation support augmented with repurposed drugs and/or convalescent plasma transfusion (CPT) from recovered COVID-19 patients. Despite vaccine variants being recently developed and administered in several countries, challenges in global supply chain logistics limit their timely availability to the wider world population, particularly in developing countries. Given the measured success of conventional CPT in treating several infections over the past decade, recent studies have reported its effectiveness in decreasing the duration and severity of COVID-19 symptoms. In this review, we conduct a literature search of published studies investigating the use of CPT to treat COVID-19 patients from January 2020 to January 2021. The literature search identified 181 records of which 39 were included in this review. A random-effects model was used to aggregate data across studies, and mortality rates of 17 vs. 32% were estimated for the CPT and control patient groups, respectively, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.49. The findings indicate that CPT shows potential in reducing the severity and duration of COVID-19 symptoms. However, early intervention (preferably within 3 days), recruitment of donors, and plasma potency introduce major challenges for its scaled-up implementation. Given the low number of existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs, four with a total of 319 patients), unanticipated risks to CPT recipients are highlighted and discussed. Nevertheless, CPT remains a promising COVID-19 therapeutic option that merits internationally coordinated RCTs to achieve a scientific risk–benefit consensus.https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/849COVID-19convalescent plasma transfusiontherapeuticsclinical trials |
| spellingShingle | Saly Kanj Basem Al-Omari Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective Viruses COVID-19 convalescent plasma transfusion therapeutics clinical trials |
| title | Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective |
| title_full | Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective |
| title_fullStr | Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective |
| title_full_unstemmed | Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective |
| title_short | Convalescent Plasma Transfusion for the Treatment of COVID-19 in Adults: A Global Perspective |
| title_sort | convalescent plasma transfusion for the treatment of covid 19 in adults a global perspective |
| topic | COVID-19 convalescent plasma transfusion therapeutics clinical trials |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1999-4915/13/5/849 |
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