As the COVID-19 recovery rate nears 79% in Rajasthan, three patients have been successfully treated with the convalescent plasma therapy in Jaipur’s Sawai Man Singh Government Hospital. All of them have shown a significant improvement in their clinical state and oxygen saturation.
SMS Medical College Principal Sudhir Bhandari said here on Saturday that the treatment was used as an “adjunct therapy” to improve the rate of survival of patients whose condition was deteriorating. The plasma therapy was administered after obtaining permission from the Drug Controller-General of India.
The plasma donors were the patients who had recovered from COVID-19 after 21-28 days of illness. Dr. Bhandari said they were found to be suitable donors following their repeated reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests as well as the antibody detection rapid tests.
The plasma obtained from the donors was infused into the blood group-matched recipients. The therapy was applied as per the protocol of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in which plasma was obtained through an online separation technique and the red blood cells were transfused back to the donors.
The required dose comprised 200 ml of plasma for two consecutive days, said Dr. Bhandari. SMS Hospital had earlier treated an Italian tourist, followed by several others, during the initial phase of the pandemic with the doctors applying a mixed regimen.
The hospital, the biggest government health facility in Rajasthan, has been following standard medical supportive treatment for COVID-19 patients by mainly using hydroxychloroquine. The use of antiviral drugs lopinavir and ritonavir for the first time in the hospital led to several research trials for treatment of cases across the country.
After the standard treatment protocols, Dr. Bhandari and his team have started the process to divert the plan of action towards convalescent plasma therapy. The team members — Raman Sharma, Sunita Bundas and Ajeet Singh Shaktawat — were also the ICMR clinical trial investigators.
“Several models have been adopted in the State for control of the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on density and demographics of different regions. The plasma therapy offers a ray of hope for the patients not recovering despite treatment with the so-far known modalities,” Dr. Bhandari said.
The recovery rate in the State is almost 78.93%, with 13,149 of the 16,787 patients having been discharged. The rate is likely to reach 79% shortly, which will be the highest in the country.
