Convalescent plasma treatment of COVID-19 patients decreases mortality

Editor's Note

This interim analysis from the eight-hospital Houston Methodist system showed a significant reduction in 28-day mortality in COVID-19 patients transfused with convalescent plasma within 72 hours of admission.

Of 316 transfused patients, 136 had 28-day outcomes and were matched to 251 nontransfused control COVID-19 patients.

Compared with patients who received plasma transfusion within 72 hours of admission, control patients were more likely to have a higher risk of mortality within 28 days (7.0% vs 1.2%) and overall mortality with no time constraints

There was no reduction in the mortality risk within 28 days (11.5% vs 12.9%) or mortality with no time constraints when patients were transfused more than 72 hours after admission.

Houston Methodist was the first academic medical center in the nation to infuse critically ill COVID-19 patients with plasma donated from recovered patients on March 28. This study tracks patients from March 28 through July 6.