Successful recovery of COVID-19-associated recurrent diarrhea and gastrointestinal hemorrhage using convalescent plasma

Mil Med Res. 2020 Sep 23;7(1):45. doi: 10.1186/s40779-020-00273-5.

Abstract

Background: Gastrointestinal symptoms are not rare among coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients, but there have been no reports regarding convalescent plasma therapy for the recovery of gastrointestinal problems in COVID-19 patients.

Case presentation: We present two cases of patients with COVID-19-associated recurrent diarrhea and positive fecal occult blood who successfully recovered after a one-time convalescent plasma administration.

Conclusion: When COVID-19 patients develop recurrent or refractory gastrointestinal symptoms and fail to respond to the available treatment, alternative therapy with convalescent plasma administration may be considered.

Keywords: Convalescent plasma; Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19); Gastrointestinal symptoms; SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • COVID-19
  • COVID-19 Serotherapy
  • Coronavirus Infections / complications*
  • Coronavirus Infections / diagnosis
  • Coronavirus Infections / therapy*
  • Diarrhea / etiology
  • Diarrhea / therapy*
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Immunization, Passive / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Pandemics
  • Pneumonia, Viral / complications*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Viral / therapy*
  • Recurrence
  • Sampling Studies
  • Severity of Illness Index
  • Taiwan
  • Treatment Outcome