The study, published in the British Medical Journal, enrolled 464 adults with moderate symptoms
With the sharp rise in coronavirus infections and the associated deaths during the second wave of the pandemic, plasma donation has increased, especially on various social media platforms.
However, a study of 464 adults with moderate symptoms of the infection last year suggests that convalescent plasma therapy (CPT) has shown limited effect in reducing the progression to serious illness or death.
The study “Convalescent plasma in the treatment of moderate COVID-19 in adults in India: open-label multicenter, randomized phase II study (PLACID study)” was carried out in 39 public and private hospitals in India, in which between April and July 464 Adults participated last year.
Tirupati connection
Of the nearly 100 co-authors of the study report, five were from the Tirupati-based Sri Venkateswara Institute of Medical Sciences (SVIMS), including its director and professor of neurology B. Vengamma, Alladi Mohan and K. Chandrasekhar (both from the Department of Internal Medicine) , KV Sridhar Babu and B. Suresh Babu (both from the Department of Transfusion Medicine).
Up to 235 patients received convalescent plasma, while a further 229 patients received standard care only. The first category received two doses of 200 ml of convalescent plasma 24 hours apart and the samples were examined for 28 days. Thereafter, progression to severe disease was observed in 44 patients in the first category (19%) and 41 patients (18%). in this second.
The study, published in the British Medical Journal (BMC) last October, concluded that convalescent plasma was not linked to a reduction in the progression to severe COVID-19 or caused all deaths, although it appeared to improve resolution of breathlessness and fatigue in patients. ‘
The researchers also found no difference in 28-day mortality or progression to severe illness in the patients in either category. However, another study conducted by Argentina and published in February in the New England Journal of Medicine in patients ages 65 to 74 showed benefits in the elderly when CPT was given within 72 hours of symptoms appearing.
Bottlenecks
Some practical problems were also discussed in the studies. Although all COVID-19 survivors were asked to donate plasma, most of them were young and had only a mild infection. The recovered patients with moderate to severe infection were reluctant to visit hospitals to donate plasma, which turned out to be a stumbling block in expanding plasma treatment.
With CPT approved for the off-label use of COVID-19 in India, practices such as fundraising on social media and selling plasma on the black market at exorbitant prices have been challenged.