Plasma Therapy For COVID-19 Works In Delhi, 49-year-old Recovers

Delhi reported the country's first plasma therapy success story today, the patient was a 49-year-old man who got treatment at a private hospital in the city. The patient is now off ventilator support, the Saket branch of Max Hospital said.

Clinical trials of plasma  therapy, in which plasma from a convalescent patient of coronavirus is injected into a critical patent --  started in Delhi last week. The process is considered a suitable option for patients who are on ventilator support.

The patient, who had tested COVID-19 positive on April 4, was admitted to the hospital with moderate symptoms and a history of fever and respiratory issues.  Over the next few days, his condition deteriorated and he was put on ventilator support on April 8.

When he showed no sign of improvement, his family requested the hospital for administration of plasma therapy on "compassionate grounds", the hospital said. The hospital said the man has now recovered and tested negative for coronavirus twice.

The man had been admitted in hospital along with his parents. His father, who was in his 80s, had also been given plasma therapy but he died on April 15. The doctors said his condition was already severe even before the therapy.

"It is important that we also understand that Plasma Therapy is no magic bullet," said Dr Sandeep Budhiraja, the Medical Director of the Max Group.

"During the patient's treatment… other standard treatment protocols were followed and we can say that Plasma Therapy could have worked as a Catalyst in speeding up his recovery. We cannot attribute 100% recovery to Plasma Therapy only, as there are multiple factors which carved his path to recovery," he added.

Plasma Therapy – which was expected to take a step forward in the country with clinical trials this week -- involves transfusion of plasma from a convalescent coronavirus patient  to a critical patient. The blood of a convalescent patient is rich in antibodies that are expected to help the critical patient recover.

Doctors said one donor can donate 400ml of plasma, which can save two lives.