Efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in immunocompromised patients with COVID-19: A case report.

COVID-19 Convalescent plasma Hypogammaglobulinemia Immune deficiency Remdesivir Rituximab

Journal

Clinical infection in practice
ISSN: 2590-1702
Titre abrégé: Clin Infect Pract
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101757436

Informations de publication

Date de publication:
Nov 2021
Historique:
received: 15 05 2021
revised: 25 08 2021
accepted: 26 08 2021
entrez: 7 9 2021
pubmed: 8 9 2021
medline: 8 9 2021
Statut: ppublish

Résumé

Management of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients is the object of current debate. Accumulating evidence suggest that treatment with high-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) may be effective in this characteristic clinical scenario. A 52-years old immunocompromised female patient, previously treated with rituximab for low grade B-cell lymphoma, showed prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding and a long-term course of signs of severe COVID-19. A first cycle of treatment with remdesivir, a nucleotide analogue prodrug effective in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication, did not provide fully and sustained clinical remission. A second hospitalization was deemed necessary after 10 days from the first hospital discharge due to recrudescence of symptoms of severe COVID-19 and the evidence of bilateral interstitial pneumonia at the chest-CT scan. Clinical and radiological findings completely disappeared after CCP administration. The viral culture confirmed the absence of SARS-CoV-2-related cytopathic effect. The clinical evaluation, performed two months after hospital discharge, was unremarkable. Findings from our case report suggest that the host T-cell specific response to SARS-CoV-2 is not sufficient to reduce viral load in the absence of neutralizing antibodies. Acquired immune antibodies and/or related components passively infused with CCP might help in boosting the plasma recipient response to the virus and promoting complete viral clearance. Independently from negative results in immunocompetent individuals, the potential effectiveness of CCP infusion in selected cohorts of patients with primary or secondary impaired immune response should be tested. Further research about mechanisms of host response in immunocompromised patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is required.

Sections du résumé

BACKGROUND BACKGROUND
Management of immunocompromised COVID-19 patients is the object of current debate. Accumulating evidence suggest that treatment with high-titer COVID-19 convalescent plasma (CCP) may be effective in this characteristic clinical scenario.
CASE REPORT METHODS
A 52-years old immunocompromised female patient, previously treated with rituximab for low grade B-cell lymphoma, showed prolonged SARS-CoV-2 shedding and a long-term course of signs of severe COVID-19. A first cycle of treatment with remdesivir, a nucleotide analogue prodrug effective in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication, did not provide fully and sustained clinical remission. A second hospitalization was deemed necessary after 10 days from the first hospital discharge due to recrudescence of symptoms of severe COVID-19 and the evidence of bilateral interstitial pneumonia at the chest-CT scan. Clinical and radiological findings completely disappeared after CCP administration. The viral culture confirmed the absence of SARS-CoV-2-related cytopathic effect. The clinical evaluation, performed two months after hospital discharge, was unremarkable.
RESULTS RESULTS
Findings from our case report suggest that the host T-cell specific response to SARS-CoV-2 is not sufficient to reduce viral load in the absence of neutralizing antibodies. Acquired immune antibodies and/or related components passively infused with CCP might help in boosting the plasma recipient response to the virus and promoting complete viral clearance.
CONCLUSIONS CONCLUSIONS
Independently from negative results in immunocompetent individuals, the potential effectiveness of CCP infusion in selected cohorts of patients with primary or secondary impaired immune response should be tested. Further research about mechanisms of host response in immunocompromised patients with SARS-CoV-2 infection is required.

Identifiants

pubmed: 34490417
doi: 10.1016/j.clinpr.2021.100096
pii: S2590-1702(21)00033-9
pmc: PMC8408049
doi:

Types de publication

Case Reports

Langues

eng

Pagination

100096

Informations de copyright

© 2021 The Author(s).

Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

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Auteurs

Genni Casarola (G)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Marco D'Abbondanza (M)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Rosa Curcio (R)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Riccardo Alcidi (R)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Tommaso Campanella (T)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Rachele Rossi (R)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Jessica Fusaro (J)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Unit of Internal Medicine, "S.Maria della Misericordia" University Hospital, Perugia.

Vito Gandolfo (V)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Cinzia Di Giuli (C)

Clinical Infectious Disease, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Chiara Laoreti (C)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
Unit of Internal Medicine, "S.Maria della Misericordia" University Hospital, Perugia.

Vito Veca (V)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Maria Comasia Leone (MC)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Giacomo Pucci (G)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Gaetano Vaudo (G)

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy.
COVID-1 Unit, Terni University Hospital, Terni, Italy.

Classifications MeSH