CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A North Side hospital is among the first Chicago-area facilities to see success in an experimental coronavirus treatment using plasma taken from someone who has recovered from the virus.
Weiss Memorial Hospital in Uptown said it was able to successfully treat a COVID-19 patient thanks to a treatment involving the plasma of another person who had recovered.
The patient, a Chicago man in his 40s, arrived at Weiss Memorial Hospital with “moderate to severe” COVID-19 symptoms. Suzanne Pham, the hospital’s associate medical director, told the Sun-Times the patient had not responded to other treatments and was close to having to be ventilated.
The hospital was able to offer the treatment through a program led by the Minnesota-based Mayo Clinic, with the donor blood coming from the American Red Cross, Pham said. The treatment involves coronavirus patients being injected with a one-time dose of 200 milliliters of plasma.
“Within 24 hours of plasma infusion, [he> was able to be weaned down on his oxygen needs and was able to be discharged from the hospital within three days of that plasma infusion,” Pham said. “So he recovered very quickly and nicely.”
Three other patients at the hospital are undergoing the same treatment.
Researchers said the plasma contains antibodies that can attack the virus. But doctors said it is too early to tell if the treatment will be a success.
“That plasma does have evidence of antibodies that potentially can attack the virus and hence, once transfused into a patient suffering from acute stages of illness, can help that patient recover more rapidly,” Pham said. “While convalescent plasma use remains investigational, we are cautiously optimistic that it will continue to show promise as a treatment option for our COVID-19 patient."
Convalescent plasma is an old therapy. Blood plasma from a person who recovered from a disease is then injected into someone who is currently fighting the illness. The antibodies in the plasma then get to work, fighting the virus.
It has been used to fight SARS, H1N1, and the flu outbreak of 1918. Now it is being used to fight COVID-19.
The FDA launches clinical trials on April 3.
According to the Sun-Times, several major local hospitals, including Rush University Medical Center and UChicago Medicine, are enrolled in trials involving the use of plasma treatment for the coronavirus.
A spokeswoman for Northwestern Memorial Hospital said the hospital is also involved in a national study, but is still awaiting the availability of plasma before beginning treatment.