Abstract Background The role of convalescent plasma therapy for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is unclear. Methods We retrospectively compared outcomes in a cohort of critical COVID‐19 patients who received standard care (SC Group) and those who, in addition, received convalescent plasma (CP Group). Results In total, 40 patients were included in each group. The median patient age was 53.5 years (interquartile range [IQR] 42–60.5), and the majority of patients required invasive ventilation (69, 86.2%). Plasma was harvested from donors after a median of 37 days (IQR 31–46) from the first positive severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result and 26 days (IQR 21–32) after documented viral clearance; it was administered after a median of 10 days (IQR 9–10) from the onset of symptoms and 2.5 days (IQR 2–4) from admission to intensive care unit. The primary endpoint of improvement in respiratory support status within 28 days was achieved in 26 patients (65%) in the SC Group and 31 patients (77.5%) in the CP Group ( p = .32). The 28‐day all‐cause mortality (12.5% vs. 2.5%; p = .22) and viral clearance (65% vs. 55%; p = .49) were not significantly different between the two groups. Convalescent plasma was not significantly associated with the primary endpoint (adjusted hazard ratio 0.87; 95% confidence interval 0.51–1.49; p = .62). Adverse events were balanced between the two study groups. Conclusion In severe COVID‐19, convalescent plasma therapy was not associated with clinical benefits. Randomized trials are required to confirm our findings. Highlights In patients with severe influenza, convalescent plasma was associated with improved viral clearance and reduced mortality. In this retrospective observational study of patients with severe COVID‐19, convalescent plasma was not associated with improvement in respiratory support status within 28 days, all‐cause mortality, or viral clearance. Randomized trials are urgently required to confirm these findings.
【저자키워드】 convalescent plasma, COVID‐19, coronavirus, SARS‐CoV‐2, Passive immunotherapy, 【초록키워드】 coronavirus disease, Mortality, Trial, intensive care, Influenza, outcome, invasive ventilation, viral clearance, COVID‐19, SARS‐CoV‐2, Cohort, PCR, Convalescent plasma therapy, Patient, plasma, age, group, Admission, Critical, Donor, retrospective, primary endpoint, Respiratory Support, interquartile range, acute respiratory syndrome, Adverse, two groups, 95% confidence interval, adjusted hazard ratio, standard care, clinical benefits, study groups, Administered, event, first positive, polymerase chain, Result, significantly, addition, required, reduced, median, onset of symptom, majority, COVID‐19 patient, IQR, not significantly different, the primary endpoint, 【제목키워드】 Treatment, Patient, plasma, severe coronavirus disease, preliminary report,