The Role of Disease Severity and Demographics in the Clinical Course of COVID-19 Patients Treated with Convalescent Plasma
In this article, experts from Michigan State University and Mayo Clinic, use data from nearly 7,200 hospitalized patients in the Mayo Clinic Expanded Access Program for COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Program. They evaluate the role of initial disease severity on disease progression/improvement following treatment with COVID-19 antibody rich convalescent plasma.
Researchers found that the severity of COVID-19 at the time of treatment and age appear to be the primary factors that determine the therapeutic effectiveness of COVID-19 convalescent plasma, suggesting that the patients most likely to benefit from this treatment are those that are not yet critically ill, and under the age of 80 years old.
Highlights of the article:
- Convalescent plasma appears an effective in the treatment if given prior to the critical/end stage severity or before the need for mechanical ventilation, especially in patients under the age of 80 years old.
- When administered early in the course of the disease, patients can expect gradual improvement in their disease symptoms in the first 7-10 days following treatment.
- This work has direct implications for who and when COVID-19 convalescent plasma should be given following contraction of COVID-19.