PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - Timothy Devos
AU  - Quentin Van Thillo
AU  - Veerle Compernolle
AU  - Tomé Najdovski
AU  - Marta Romano
AU  - Nicolas Dauby
AU  - Laurent Jadot
AU  - Mathias Leys
AU  - Evelyne Maillart
AU  - Sarah Loof
AU  - Lucie Seyler
AU  - Martial Moonen
AU  - Michel Moutschen
AU  - Niels Van Regenmortel
AU  - Kevin K. Ariën
AU  - Cyril Barbezange
AU  - Albrecht Betrains
AU  - Mutien Garigliany
AU  - Matthias M Engelen
AU  - Iwein Gyselinck
AU  - Piet Maes
AU  - Alexander Schauwvlieghe
AU  - Laurens Liesenborghs
AU  - Ann Belmans
AU  - Peter Verhamme
AU  - Geert Meyfroidt
ED  - ,
TI  - Early high antibody-titre convalescent plasma for hospitalised COVID-19 patients: DAWn-plasma
AID  - 10.1183/13993003.01724-2021
DP  - 2021 Jan 01
TA  - European Respiratory Journal
PG  - 2101724
4099  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/07/29/13993003.01724-2021.short
4100  - http://erj.ersjournals.com/content/early/2021/07/29/13993003.01724-2021.full
AB  - Background Several randomised clinical trials have studied convalescent plasma (CP) for COVID-19 using different protocols, with different SARS-CoV-2 neutralising-antibody-titres, at different time-points and severities of illness.Methods In the prospective multicentre DAWN-plasma trial, adult patients hospitalised with COVID-19 were randomised to 4 units of open-label convalescent plasma combined with standard of care (intervention group) or standard of care alone (control group). Plasma from donors with neutralising-antibody-titres (NT50) ≥1/320 was the product of choice for the study.Results Between May 2nd, 2020 and January 26th, 2021, 320 patients were randomised to convalescent plasma and 163 patients to the control group according to a 2:1 allocation scheme. A median volume of 884 mL convalescent plasma (IQR 806–906 mL) was administered, and 80.68% of the units came from donors with neutralising-antibody-titres (NT50) ≥1/320. Median time from onset of symptoms to randomisation was 7 days. The proportion of patients alive and free of mechanical ventilation on Day 15 was not different between both groups (convalescent plasma: 83.74% (n=267) versus control: 84.05% (n=137) – Odds ratio 0.99 (0.59–1.66) – p-value=0.9772). The intervention did not change the natural course of antibody titres. The number of serious or severe adverse events was similar in both study arms, and transfusion-related side effects were reported in 19/320 patients in the intervention group (5.94%).Conclusions Transfusion of 4 units of convalescent plasma with high neutralising-antibody-titres early in hospitalised COVID-19 patients did not result in a significant improvement of the clinical status, or a reduced mortality.Early transfusion of 4 units of high neutralising-antibody-titre convalescent plasma in hospitalised COVID-19 patients does not reduce mortality or the need for mechanical ventilation.