Early mortality benefit with COVID-19 convalescent plasma: a matched control study

Area of Science:

• Immunology
• Infectious Diseases
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• Convalescent plasma (CCP) offers passive immunity, but its efficacy for treating COVID-19 remains uncertain.
• Hospitalized patients with SARS-CoV-2 require effective treatments to reduce mortality.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the efficacy of COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) in hospitalized patients.
• To determine the impact of CCP on mortality and clinical outcomes.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study of 526 hospitalized patients with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2.
• 263 patients received CCP, compared with 263 matched controls receiving standard treatment.
• Primary outcome: 28-day mortality; secondary outcomes: 7-day, 14-day mortality, and length of hospital stay.

Main Results:

• No statistically significant difference in 28-day mortality between CCP group (25.5%) and controls (27%, P=0.06).
• Significantly lower 7-day (9.1% vs. 19.8%, P<0.001) and 14-day mortality (14.8% vs. 23.6%, P=0.01) in the CCP group.
• CCP transfusion was associated with a longer hospital stay (14.3 vs. 11.4 days, P<0.001).

Conclusions:

• COVID-19 patients receiving CCP demonstrated reduced mortality risk at 7 and 14 days post-transfusion.
• While not impacting 28-day mortality, CCP shows a potential benefit in early COVID-19 treatment.
• This study is the largest to date indicating a mortality benefit for CCP in COVID-19 patients.