• Vivianne Torres, Felipe Olivares, Catherine Fernández, Mario Calvo, Claudio Orellana, Maritza Navarrete, Blaz Lesina, Mónica Fuentes, Eileen Blackburn, Gerardo Velásquez, Alejandra Vera, Alejandro Rojas-Fernández, and Johanna Himelreichs.
• Servicio de Medicina, Hospital Base de Valdivia, Valdivia, Chile.
• Rev Med Chil. 2023 Jun 1; 151 (6): 717724717-724.

IntroductionCOVID-19 claimed millions of lives, mainly in the pre-vaccine era. Preliminary studies showed promising efficacy of convalescent plasma against SARS-CoV-2 (CP).ObjectiveTo evaluate the efficacy of CP in patients hospitalized for COVID-19 with moderate severity.MethodsRetrospective, bicentric study including adults hospitalized for moderate (non-critical) COVID-19 who required oxygen therapy. CP donated by survivors of mild cases (600 cc) were searched for IgG anti-SARS-CoV-2. Its impact on mortality, hospital stay (days), and need for mechanical ventilation (IMV) was evaluated.ResultsOf the 119 patients included, 58% were men (median age 60 years), 88% had comorbidity, and 43% had a high-risk CALL score. Forty-three patients (36%) received CP, only 15 (12.6%) early (< 7 days). Twenty-two patients had to be transferred to the intensive care unit; 18 received IMV, and 15 died (12.6%). The use of CP was not associated with changes in mortality (p = 0.16), need for IMV (p = 0.79), or hospital stay (p = 0.24). Its early administration (< 7 days of symptoms) did not show a significant association either. The presence of heart disease and subsequently requiring IMV were independent factors of mortality.ConclusionsThe use of CP in patients hospitalized for moderately severe COVID-19 was not associated with lower mortality, hospital stay, or the need for IMV.

23 keywords...

hide…