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. 2022 Nov 2;12(11):1767.
doi: 10.3390/life12111767.

Convalescent Plasma to Treat COVID-19: A Two-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Yanet Ventura-Enríquez  1 , Carlos Cabello-Gutiérrez  2 , Ángel Augusto Pérez-Calatayud  3 , Evelyn Cortina-De la Rosa  1   4 , Christian Javier Fareli-González  5 , Paola Castillo-Juárez  2   6 , Alberto Peña-Pérez Carlos  7 , Elí Omar Zavaleta-Martínez  7 , Elizabeth Diaz-Padilla  1   8 , Sandra Murrieta  1 , Violeta Deyanira Álvarez-Jiménez  9 , Juan Alberto Díaz Ponce-Medrano  10 , Catalina Casillas-Suárez  3 , María Angelica Ocampo-Ocampo  3 , Cruz Vargas-De-León  11   12 , Verónica Fernández-Sánchez  1   11   13
Affiliations

Convalescent Plasma to Treat COVID-19: A Two-Center, Randomized, Double-Blind Clinical Trial

Yanet Ventura-Enríquez et al. Life (Basel). .

Abstract

Background: The use of convalescent plasma (CP) has been considered for its immunological mechanisms that could benefit patients in moderate and severe stages of COVID-19. This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of the use of donor CP for COVID-19. Material and methods: A double-blind, randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted from May to October 2020. Thirty-nine participants with moderate (II) and severe (III) stages of COVID-19 confirmed by RT-PCR were included. The study randomization rate was set at 3:1. CPs were chosen for application with a neutralizing antibody titer of ≥1:32. Results: We observed a significantly lower 21-day post-transfusion mortality HR: 0.17 (95.0% CI [0.07−0.45, p < 0.001]) in the group receiving CP compared with the control group; protective units (PU) in the group receiving convalescent plasma after seven days were significantly higher (512 (32−16,384) vs. 96 (32−256), p = 0.01); the PAO2/FIO2 index showed a significant improvement in the group receiving CP (251.01 (109.4) vs. 109.2 (62.4), p < 0.001, in the control group). Conclusion: CP is safe and effective, as it decreased mortality in the CP group compared with the control group.

Keywords: COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; convalescent plasma treatment; neutralizing antibodies.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Selection and allocation of patients to receive convalescent plasma versus control group.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Twenty-one-day survival. Patients who received CP (n = 29) vs. control group (n = 10).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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