Convalescent COVID-19 plasma beneficial for immunocompromised

Transfusion of convalescent COVID-19 plasma is associated with a reduction in mortality for immunocompromised patients, according to a systematic review published online Jan. 12 in JAMA Network Open.

Jonathon W. Senefeld, Ph.D., from the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of trials, studies, and case reports or series on COVID-19 convalescent plasma use in patients who are immunocompromised. The review included three randomized clinical trials enrolling 1,487 participants, five controlled studies, 125 case series or reports enrolling 265 participants, and 13 uncontrolled large case series with 358 participants.

The researchers found that in separate meta-analyses using models stratified and pooled by study type, COVID-19 convalescent plasma transfusion was associated with a decrease in mortality compared with the control cohort for both randomized clinical trials and matched cohort studies (risk ratio, 0.63).

"Although these summary findings are encouraging for the use of therapeutic convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients with primary or secondary immunosuppression, there remains a paucity of well-controlled, published data in these important patient populations," the authors write. "The clinical use of COVID-19 convalescent plasma and Vax-Plasma in patients who are immunocompromised and have COVID-19 may warrant further investigation."

One author disclosed financial ties to Sab Therapeutics.

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