The Three Pillars of COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma Therapy

The new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread rapidly around the world in the last year causing the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), which still is a severe threat for public health. The therapeutic management of COVID-19 is challenging as, up until now, no specific and efficient pharmacological therapy has been validated. Translating the experience from previous viral epidemics, passive immunotherapy by means of plasma from individuals recovered from COVID-19 has been intensively investigated since the beginning of the pandemic. In this narrative review, we critically analyze the three factors, named pillars, that play a key role in determining the clinical effectiveness of this biologic therapy: the convalescent plasma, the disease (COVID-19), and the patients.

Automated summary

In this narrative review, the critical analysis focuses on three factors, known as pillars, crucial in determining the clinical effectiveness of this biologic therapy: convalescent plasma, the disease COVID-19, and the patients.