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Convalescent Plasma Trial in COVID -19 Patients

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
SARS-CoV 2
COVID-19
Interventions
Other: Routine care for COVID-19 patients
Other: plasma therapy using convalescent plasma with antibody against SARS-CoV-2
Registration Number
NCT04356534
Lead Sponsor
Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Medical University of Bahrain
Brief Summary

Plasma therapy using convalescent plasma has been shown to be effective in severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola virus infection and in H1N1 influenza. More recently there has been a report of the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of 5 ventilated COVID-19 patients with the suggestion of expedited recovery as the patients improved 1 week after the transfusion. However, this was not a clinical trial and the patients were on other antiviral medication.; therefore, there is a need to undertake such a trial to see if deploying plasma with SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody has utility in managing patients infected with COVID-19 in respiratory distress.

The objective of this pilot study is to compare plasma therapy using convalescent plasma with antibody against SARS-CoV-2 to usual supportive therapy in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia and hypoxia, and to determine if the clinical course is improved. The difference between groups will allow an effect size to be determined for a definitive clinical trial.

Detailed Description

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and has developed into a pandemic with serious global public health and economic sequelae. As of March 30, 2020, over 750,000 cases have been confirmed worldwide leading to over 34,000 deaths (https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html). There is no current vaccine available, but there have been a number of reports of medication such as hydroxychloroquine having antiviral properties with efficacy against SARS-CoV-2.

Plasma therapy using convalescent plasma has been shown to be effective in severe acute respiratory syndrome, Ebola virus infection and in H1N1 influenza. More recently there has been a report of the use of convalescent plasma in the treatment of 5 ventilated COVID-19 patients with the suggestion of expedited recovery as the patients improved 1 week after the transfusion. However, this was not a clinical trial and the patients were on other antiviral medication; therefore, there is a need to undertake such a trial to see if deploying plasma with SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibody has utility in managing patients infected with COVID-19 in respiratory distress.

The objective of this pilot study is to compare plasma therapy using convalescent plasma with antibody against SARS-CoV-2 to usual supportive therapy in COVID-19 patients with pneumonia and hypoxia, and to determine if the clinical course is improved. The difference between groups will allow an effect size to be determined for a definitive clinical trial

Could using convalescent plasma transfusion, from recovered COVID19 patients with antibody against COVID-19 be beneficial in treatment of COVID19 patients with hypoxia and pneumonia, in order to avoid or delay the need for invasive ventilation?

This is a prospective, interventional and randomized open label trial involving 40 patients with COVID-19 who are in respiratory distress, with the criteria that all require oxygen therapy and have radiological evidence of pneumonia, 20 of whom will receive a single transfusion of convalescent patient plasma plus routine care, compared to 20 COVID-19 patients who will receive routine care alone.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
40
Inclusion Criteria
  • COVID-19 diagnosis
  • Hypoxia, (Oxygen saturation of less than or equal 92% or PO2 < 60mmHg on arterial blood gas analysis) and patient requiring oxygen therapy
  • Evidence of infiltrates on Chest Xray or CT scan
  • Able to give informed consent
  • Patients between the ages of 21 and above with no upper age.
Exclusion Criteria
  • Patients with mild disease not requiring oxygen therapy
  • Patients with normal CXR & CT scan
  • Patients requiring ventilatory support
  • Patients with a history of allergy to plasma, sodium citrate or methylene blue
  • Patients with a history of autoimmune disease or selective IGA deficiency.

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Control groupRoutine care for COVID-19 patientslocal standard of care which include antivirals and supportive care
Intervention groupplasma therapy using convalescent plasma with antibody against SARS-CoV-2convalescent patient plasma 400ml given as 200ml over 2 hours in 2 consecutive days, plus routine local standard of care
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Requirement for invasive ventilationthrough study completion up to 28 days

Could the plasma therapy avoid or delay the need for invasive ventilation

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Brain naturetic peptide measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in brain naturetic peptide as a measure of an improvement in the severity of the disease process

Radiological changethrough study completion up to 28 days

Chest Xray

Troponin T measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in troponin T as a measure of an improvement in the severity of the disease process

Procalcitonin measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in procalcitonin as a measure of an improvement in the severity of the disease process

Ferritin measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in Ferritin as a measure of an improvement in the severity of the disease process

Change in viral clearancethrough study completion up to 28 days

Through the use of CT values

lactate dehydrogenase measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in lactate dehydrogenase as a measure of an improvement in the severity of the disease process

Change in white cell countthrough study completion up to 28 days

As a measure of a change in inflammation

C reactive protein measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in C reactive protein as a measure of a change in inflammation

Mortality rateUp to 28 days of the study

Mortality rate due to COVID-19

D Dimer measurementthrough study completion up to 28 days

A change in D Dimer as a measure of an improvement in the severity of the disease process

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland - Bahrain

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Manama, Bahrain

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