Hyderabad: In a major development, 11 out of 13 patients who were administered convalescent plasma therapy for COVID-19 have recovered fully.
The recovery rate from Plasma therapy is nearly 84 per cent, though it is a bit early to conclude that.
Indian Express quoted Dr Aedula Vinay Sekhar, Professor and HOD Medicine, Gandhi Medical College and Hospital as saying, “We have seen that this treatment protocol will do well for people who are in the category of illness — ‘moderately severe’. They are generally stage-3 Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) patients, who have an increase in oxygen demand without many co-morbidities.”
ICMR has engaged Gandhi Hospital along with a few select hospitals for plasma therapy trials. The treatment is promising as there was significant and encouraging improvement in the number of patients recovering from the therapy.
Noting that the patients showed good results even after recovery, the doctor said they were quick to shed off the virus after a plasma rich in antibody was transfused to them.
Plasma therapy is used when the patient does not respond to any other treatment. It is used for moderately severe patients before they reach a ventilator stage, informed Dr Vinay.
Earlier, Plasma Donors’ Association was formed for the success of plasma therapy for coronavirus patients. Those who have recovered from the novel coronavirus disease will be included in the Association and help would be provided in the treatment of other patients.
In plasma therapy the antibodies are separated from a person cured of the novel coronavirus and are infused into the vein of the COVID-19 patient who is in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, informal market is also booming in Hyderabad. Patients who have recovered from coronavirus are getting exorbitant offers for donation of their plasma ranging from Rs 60,000 to Rs 3 lakh for a single donation.