Researchers find 'encouraging' results after infusing convalescent plasma in patients

Researchers have now found “encouraging results” from convalescent plasma study, indicating that it could pave the way for a new kind of treatment for COVID-19 patients. According to a new study released on May 22, hospitalized COVID- 19 patients treaded better after they received an infusion of antibody convalescent plasma. Researchers have termed it a "good sign" for Plasma therapy which is derived from the blood of recovered COVID-19 patients.

Read: COVID-19: Clinical Trial Of Plasma Therapy To Begin In Kolkata

"We are encouraged that our initial assessment offers evidence in support of convalescent plasma as an effective intervention," said Dr Nicole Bouvier, an associate professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and a co-author on the study said in a statement. However, she added that the researchers "remained mindful" that additional studies were needed to confirm these findings and draw more definitive conclusions on a different population.

The study 

For the purpose of the new study, 39 patients who received convalescent plasma were compared with “matched controls”, that is,  patients who didn’t receive plasma but were similar to those who did. According to reports, it wasn't a traditional clinical trial because patients weren’t randomly assigned to a treatment group or a control group. Instead, the controls were picked after-the-fact using an algorithm. Still, patients who received plasma saw improved survival. As of May 1, about 13% of patients who received the treatment had died, compared to 24% of those who didn’t.

Read: 33 Fresh COVID-19 Cases In Telangana; Plasma Trials To Begin

However, according to the researchers, larger studies were needed. In addition to the aforementioned results, the researchers noted that the mortality benefit was limited to people who didn’t need a breathing tube. They added that they did not observe a “significant benefit”  in intubated patients, consistent with literature demonstrating that plasma therapies were most efficacious early in the disease.

Read: UP: 21-yr-old Recovered COVID-19 Patient Donates Plasma At KGMU

Read: 'Plasma Therapy Trial In Pune Successful' Claims Rajesh Tope, After 1st Trial Fails

(Representative Image; credits: AP)