Medical researchers were examining the prospects of COVID-19 antibodies in donor blood plasma helping patients with the disease. They had reached the stage of investigating the personal factors influencing the size and overall quality of antibody stock. Then they used the criteria of age, sex, and disease severity in a test. The results indicated older males had best plasma potential in their sample.
A Small Sample of Older Males Had Best Plasma Potential
However, it’s essential to note these findings depend on a small sample of 126 adults who recovered from COVID-19 infection. We cannot therefore draw firm conclusions from this study. But knowing a small sample of older males had best plasma potential could become useful, if researchers replicate this in larger studies.
The research team used commercial tests to measure the level of antibodies in the blood samples. However, they trialed them for ability to neutralize SARS-CoV-2 cells in laboratory cultures. And then they made their interesting discovery. This was strong antibody responses correlated with hospitalization, older age, and male gender.
Could These Indicators Be the Key to Effective Antibodies?
We already know older males have a relatively higher probability of becoming seriously ill after they contract COVID-19. The world needs more effective COVID-19 treatments, until we have vaccinated the people which may take several years.
Antibody therapies could be a way to infuse ill people with antibodies that could save lives. However, the scientists conducting the study cautioned against over-generalizing their findings without more extensive research.
They are none the less confident to make this recommendation. ‘Sex, age, and severity of disease should be used to guide the selection of donors for convalescent plasma transfer studies’. Professor Sabra Klein from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School wrote up the study he published in Journal of Clinical Investigation on August 7, 2020.
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Preview Image: Diagram of ABO Blood Groups
