Convalescent plasma in Internal Medicine Ward from Hospital Argerich in Buenos Aires

Abstract

We present here the results of safety and clinical outcome of 87 patients that received convalescent plasma transfusion in the internal medicine ward of Hospital Argerich in Buenos Aires. Three patients developed transfusion-associated circulatory overload. Thirty-three patients were admitted to Intensive Care Unit (37,9%) and 21 cases required mechanical ventilation. Eighteen patients died (20,7%), 3 of them due to limitation of therapeutic effort and 15 in ICU. The mortality in ICU was 45,4%. Ten patients received plasma within 72 hs from the onset of symptoms. Of them, 1 case required mechanical ventilation and died. Twenty-five patients received plasma between 4 and 7 days from onset of symptoms, with a mortality rate of 20% and 26,9% of mechanical ventilation. Fifty patients received plasma past the 7 days from onset of symptoms, with a mortality rate of 24% and 25,4% of mechanical ventilation. Our series could not prove positive effects in the early administration of plasma and it was not designed to measure effectiveness. The procedure was well tolerated by most of the patients.