A CASE SERIES on the Convalescent Plasma use in SARSCOV2 PCR Positive Filipino Patients in Makati Medical Center

Abstract

Manuel Jr Velasco MD*, Jesus Relos MD, Ginny Pelobello- De Leon MD

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused tremendous stress in the healthcare system worldwide with millions of death and morbidities. Convalescent plasma therapy has given hope for cure at this time of great uncertainty. Multiple studies and literature review attempted to understand the efficacy of the therapy but unable to provide definite and clear answers. This case series presents data on 55 Filipino patients who were given convalescent plasma therapy. In this observation, mean age of patients is 63 ± 13 years old, predominantly male (67.27%, N=37), all Filipinos, with 2 or more co-morbidities, with severe and critical case (92.73%, N=51), with symptoms of fever, difficulty of breathing and body malaise. Majority of the plasma were collected in -house, given after 2 weeks of illness but within 7 days of hospital admission. More patients were discharged at 60%(N=33). No improvement in Vital signs, Laboratory results and Chest X-ray was noted after Convalescent plasma therapy. The lack of high quality studies on plasma therapy and definitive cure in COVID-19 infection maintains convalescent plasma therapy as a possible cure, mostly at times of infection in a pandemic scale. High quality clinical trials in the use of Convalescent plasma therapy is encouraged to provide high quality data as basis of treatment recommendation.

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