Convalescent (Immune) plasma followed by intravenous immunoglobulin infusion in an adolescent with severe COVID-19

Özdemir, Ö Elmas B.; Dönmez, M. C.; Sütlüoğlu, H.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has drawn attention over old immunotherapeutic agents such as convalescent (immune) plasma (CIP). Here, an adolescent with severe COVID-19 case requiring CIP and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) treatments is described. A 17-year-old male patient was brought to the emergency room with complaints of fever, fatigue, and severe cough. Two doses of CIP were infused to the patient because of the increase in persisting fever, dyspnea, and acute phase reactant levels after the third day of routine protocol treatment. IVIG therapy was begun for 2 days at a dose of 1 g/kg/day due to resurgence in acute phase reactants and progressing radiological findings following CIP transfusion. Our patient avoided mechanical ventilation and showed immediate clinical and radiological improvement with CIP transfusion followed by IVIG therapy. Timely initiation of CIP treatment followed by IVIG prevented the disease from worsening and helped to reduce the requirement for mechanical ventilation.