Use of convalescent plasma therapy in SARS patients in Hong Kong.
In order to evaluate the efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in the treatment of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 80 SARS patients were given convalescent plasma at Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, between 20 March and 26 May 2003. Good outcome was defined as discharge by day 22 following the onset of SARS symptoms. Poor outcome was defined as death or hospitalization beyond 22 days. A higher day-22 discharge rate was observed among patients who were given convalescent plasma before day 14 of illness (58.3% vs 15.6%; P<0.001) and among those who were PCR positive and seronegative for coronavirus at the time of plasma infusion (66.7% vs 20%; P=0.001).
Cheng
Y
Y
Department of Medicine and Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Prince of Wales Hospital, Ngan Shing Street, Shatin, Hong Kong. gcheng@cuhk.edu.hk
Wong
R
R
Soo
Y O Y
YO
Wong
W S
WS
Lee
C K
CK
Ng
M H L
MH
Chan
P
P
Wong
K C
KC
Leung
C B
CB
Cheng
G
G
D016913:Blood Component Transfusion / Q000379:methods*; D021821:Communicable Diseases, Emerging / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D003289:Convalescence; D005260:Female; D006723:Hong Kong / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D045473:Severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus / Q000276:immunology*; D012494:Sampling Studies; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016019:Survival Analysis; D016896:Treatment Outcome