Timing, Titre, and Host Determinants of Convalescent Plasma Efficacy in COVID-19: A Systematic Review With Design-Stratified Narrative Synthesis.
Rev Med VirolSep 1, 2026
Agnieszka Kuś, Sebastian Makuch, Jarosław Dybko et al.
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In 30 seconds
This systematic review analyzed 31 studies involving 20,793 patients to evaluate the efficacy of convalescent plasma (CP) in COVID-19. The findings suggest that CP is effective when administered early, with sufficient antibody titre, and to seronegative or immunocompromised hosts. Among RCTs, 4 of 6 indicated benefits from earlier administration.
Key findings
- 4 of 6 RCTs found benefit from earlier administration of CP.
- 3 of 4 RCTs showed higher-titre CP was more beneficial.
- Two large RCTs (combined n = 12,522) indicated preferential benefit in seronegative recipients.
- Only 2 of 31 studies reported data on non-IgG immunoglobulins.
Why it matters
Understanding the specific conditions under which convalescent plasma is effective can guide clinicians in its use, potentially improving patient outcomes in future COVID-19 surges or similar pandemics.