Earlier, the Erasmus Medical Center had already conducted such a study among corona patients, but that has been halted. In that study, patients were given the blood plasma with antibodies when they were in the hospital.
“We learned quite quickly that you will probably be late if you give plasma to patients who are already in the hospital,” says research leader Bart Rijnders. “We saw that three quarters of the patients had produced antibodies themselves after ten days.”
This has made the researchers realize that plasma treatment with corona antibodies should not be applied in hospitals, but precisely before people end up there. And that’s what this new research is focusing on.
Not for slow decision makers
Seven hundred people can participate in the test. There are a few conditions attached. You must have received a positive test result and belong to the group of people over 50 ‘with additional ailments’, or be 70 years or older. Finally, you should not be a slow decision-maker, because you can only participate in the first seven days after receiving a positive test result.
“The first corona patient was treated with the plasma on Tuesday,” says researcher Rijnders. “If people are interested in taking part in the study, they can register via coronaplasmastudie.nl.”
Those who meet the conditions will be called back and scheduled.
How quickly will other hospitals connect?
Erasmus MC calculates that the investigation will be completed after four to six months. Hopes are pinned on cooperation with other hospitals.
“Of course they now have a lot of other things to do with the treatment of corona patients,” says Bart Rijnders. “We hope that, if we are at full speed, we can treat a number of patients per day here in the hospital. If ten other hospitals participate, we could reach those 700 patients in six months.”
Johan (60) received blood plasma
One of those patients is 60-year-old Johan van Beek from Etten-Leur. He has a disease that prevents him from producing antibodies himself. When he became infected with the corona virus, panic struck. He was offered the plasma treatment at Erasmus MC.
After Johan’s positive story, Rijnders emphasizes that it really is still an investigation. “We’re not sure it will help, so you’re helping medicine move forward. You’re helping us get to know the virus better and of course we hope it will lead to a possible treatment for patients who are not yet hospitalized. the future must show. “
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