Early safety indicators of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in 5,000 patients.

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Joyner MJ, Wright RS, Fairweather D, Senefeld JW, Bruno KA, Klassen SA, Carter RE, Klompas AM, Wiggins CC, Shepherd JR, Rea RF, Whelan ER, Clayburn AJ, Spiegel MR, Johnson PW, Lesser ER, Baker SE, Larson KF, Ripoll JG, Andersen KJ, Hodge DO, Kunze KL, Buras MR, Vogt MN, Herasevich V, Dennis JJ, Regimbal RJ, Bauer PR, Blair JE, van Buskirk CM, Winters JL, Stubbs JR, Paneth NS, Verdun NC, Marks P, Casadevall A

Early safety indicators of COVID-19 convalescent plasma in 5,000 patients.

J Clin Invest. 2020 Jun 11. pii: 140200. doi: 10.1172/JCI140200.

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32525844 [ View in PubMed
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Convalescent plasma is the only antibody based therapy currently available for COVID 19 patients. It has robust historical precedence and sound biological plausibility. Although promising, convalescent plasma has not yet been shown to be safe as a treatment for COVID-19. METHODS: Thus, we analyzed key safety metrics after transfusion of ABO compatible human COVID-19 convalescent plasma in 5,000 hospitalized adults with severe or life threatening COVID-19, with 66% in the intensive care unit, as part of the US FDA Expanded Access Program for COVID-19 convalescent plasma. RESULTS: The incidence of all serious adverse events (SAEs) in the first four hours after transfusion was <1%, including mortality rate (0.3%). Of the 36 reported SAEs, there were 25 reported incidences of related SAEs, including mortality (n = 4), transfusion-associated circulatory overload (TACO; n = 7), transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI; n = 11), and severe allergic transfusion reactions (n = 3). However, only 2 (of 36) SAEs were judged as definitely related to the convalescent plasma transfusion by the treating physician. The seven-day mortality rate was 14.9%. CONCLUSION: Given the deadly nature of COVID 19 and the large population of critically-ill patients included in these analyses, the mortality rate does not appear excessive. These early indicators suggest that transfusion of convalescent plasma is safe in hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

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