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Published on: Apr 13, 2020
3 minute read
By: Dr Rajan Choudhary

Plasma Treatment For COVID-19?

TREATING COVID WITH BLOOD

We have previously covered proposed treatments for COVID-19, in particular hydroxychloroquine, and explained why we shouldn’t look for a magic cure for this disease. Viruses are difficult to treat, and ultimately supportive treatment appears to be best we can achieve. But an editorial published in BioMedicine Central appears to show a novel treatment for the most ill patients, one that may have flown under most people’s radar.

“A novel treatment approach to the novel coronavirus: an argument for the use of therapeutic plasma exchange for fulminant COVID-19”

An interesting title. Lets dissect it.

SUMMARY

- Blood is made up of many different components

- The immune system recognises the virus and produces antibodies against it to neutralise it

- These antibodies float in the blood plasma, a watery solution

- The plasma can be extracted from donated blood, and given to patients suffering from COVID-19

- So far evidence suggests it can help treat the most seriously affected patients.

WHAT IS IN OUR BLOOD

To understand this we must first understand what our blood is made of. Most people know that blood functions to transport oxygen from our lungs. But this is an oversimplification. Blood has many different functions:

- Transport: along with oxygen it transports sugars, fats, protein subunits throughout the body. This is done with the watery PLASMA of the blood.

- Clot: cells and protein structures act to plug any holes that form from cuts and damage. This is done by the PLATELETS in the blood

- Immunity: Immune cells respond to bacteria, viruses, parasites in the blood and body. They target these pathogens, identify and tag them with antibodies, and ultimately destroy them. This is done by the WHITE BLOOD CELLS.

And many more functions that we won’t bore you with.

IMMUNITY

It is this last point that is of interest to us. Our immune system consists of white blood cells that can recognise invading organisms in the blood, around cells and even invaders hiding within our own cells. All cells have protein markers on their surface, no matter if its human cells, bacterial, viral, fungal etc. These markers can be highlighted and targeted by specialised white blood cells, who in turn produce antibodies against these markers. Think of antibodies as handcuffs with flares attached: once attached other white blood cells use this information to find and destroy the invaders.

What is amazing about antibodies is how complex they are. The proteins in our body are incredibly complex. They are long chains that fold into unique shapes depending on hundreds of different types of chemical interactions. These are so complex that supercomputers can take literal years to figure out the shape of a single protein and how it folds depending on the subunits in its chain. This means that our immune system has to recognise these markers and figure out a complementary tag out of hundreds of billions of potential sequences. Antibodies have to be specific to their tag. If an antibody is produced that can target more than one tag, it can cause problems. If it targets a bacterial tag, but accidentally highlights the person’s cells as well, the immune system will start targeting and destroying the person’s organs. These auto-immune disorders can be devastating.

But when they work, antibodies are miraculous. They persist in the blood after an infection, and if a second infection occurs, memory cells in the blood can rapidly produce these antibodies before the infection can even produce symptoms. This is known as immunity, and is why we usually don’t get the same illness twice. Antibody based treatment is see as the future of medical therapy, and is something we will cover in future blogs.

PLASMA EXCHANGE

From population testing we can see that the majority of patients with COVID-19 recover, experiencing either mild symptoms, moderate symptoms requiring some form of treatment and hospitalisation, or no symptoms whatsoever. In these patients their immune system will have successfully recognised the virus and produced antibodies against it to neutralise the virus. It is the patients with severe symptoms, those in which the virus is running rampant in the body, that the production of antibodies happens too late.

Plasma exchange involves obtaining blood from patients who have beaten the virus, spinning the blood to separate out the red cells, white cells, platelets and watery plasma. The plasma contains all the glucose, small proteins and importantly for us, the antibodies. This plasma can be transfused into patients with COVID-19 that cannot cope, in order to help their immune system. These transfused antibodies will neutralise some of the viruses in the patient, reducing the viral load, amount of replication and cell destruction that causes such devastating symptoms in COVID-19.

The published editorial showed that in the most critical pneumonia patients, requiring mechanical ventilators and drugs to support the heart, mortality in plasma exchange patients resulted in a 47.8% mortality instead of 81.3%. Of course it is a single study with a limited number of patients, but the results are encouraging. It is further helped by the fact plasma exchange is a well established therapy, with established protocols known to intensivists and haematologists.

THE FUTURE

We may see the use of Plasma exchange for critically ill patients increase as the pandemic continues. It is not a treatment option available for everyone, as it requires intravenous access and careful monitoring in a controlled setting. But it also needs donation from people who have recovered from COVID and have suitable antibodies. So whilst it might not be a magic pill that everyone expects to cure COVID, it might be the difference between life and death for those that need it most.

Dr Rajan Choudhary, UK, Chief Product Officer, Second Medic Inc

www.secondmedic.com

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How Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Patient Care in India

As a clinician working closely with patients across urban clinics and remote teleconsultation setups, I have seen firsthand how delayed diagnosis, fragmented follow-up, and specialist shortages affect outcomes in India. Artificial intelligence is not a futuristic concept in Indian healthcare anymore. It is actively reshaping how we diagnose diseases, monitor patients, and prevent complications.

AI, when used responsibly under clinical supervision, is becoming a critical support system for doctors and a powerful safety net for patients navigating a complex healthcare ecosystem.

Why India’s Healthcare System Needs AI

India’s healthcare challenges are deeply structural. A large population burdened by lifestyle diseases, combined with uneven access to medical expertise, creates gaps that traditional systems struggle to bridge.

In daily practice, we increasingly see patients presenting late with diabetes, hypertension, heart disease, or cancer. Many ask a simple but important question: why was this not detected earlier? The answer often lies in limited screening, overloaded clinicians, and lack of continuous monitoring.

Chronic conditions dominating Indian clinics today include:

Diabetes affecting over 100 million individuals.
Hypertension rising even among young adults.
Cardiovascular disease driven by late detection.
Increasing cancer incidence with delayed diagnosis.

AI matters here because it supports earlier identification of risk patterns, reduces diagnostic delays, and allows clinicians to focus on decision-making rather than data overload.

How AI Is Changing Medical Diagnosis

One common concern patients raise during consultations is whether AI can truly diagnose diseases accurately. In practice, AI does not replace a doctor. It acts as a high-speed analytical assistant.

AI in Imaging and Diagnostics

AI systems can rapidly analyse:

X-rays and CT scans.
MRI images.
Mammograms.
Pathology slides.
Cardiac and neurological imaging.

These tools flag abnormalities within seconds, allowing doctors to prioritise critical findings. Clinical studies published in peer-reviewed journals have shown that AI models can match specialist-level accuracy for specific imaging tasks when used correctly.

From a physician’s perspective, the real benefit is not speed alone. It is consistency. AI reduces the risk of missed findings during high-volume diagnostic workflows, especially in resource-constrained settings.

Can AI Monitor Patients Outside Hospitals

Patients managing chronic illness often ask whether technology can help them avoid repeated hospital visits. AI-enabled remote monitoring is one of the most meaningful advances in this area.

AI-Supported Remote Patient Monitoring

AI continuously evaluates trends in:

Blood pressure.
Heart rate variability.
Blood glucose patterns.
Oxygen saturation.
Physical activity and sleep quality.

Rather than reacting to a single abnormal value, AI identifies worsening trends over time. Clinically, this allows early intervention before complications escalate.

Evidence from global health system studies shows that continuous monitoring can significantly reduce avoidable hospital admissions, particularly for diabetes, heart disease, and elderly patients.

Using AI to Predict and Prevent Chronic Diseases

Preventive healthcare remains underdeveloped in India. Most patients seek care after symptoms appear. AI helps shift this model.

By analysing medical history, lifestyle habits, vitals, and environmental factors, predictive models can estimate:

Future heart attack risk.
Progression of diabetes.
Decline in kidney function.
Stroke probability.
Asthma exacerbation triggers.

Patients often ask if AI can really prevent disease. Prevention here means early warnings. When risk patterns are detected early, doctors can adjust treatment plans, recommend lifestyle changes, and prevent irreversible damage.

Personalised Treatment in a Diverse Indian Population

Indian patients differ widely in genetics, diet, stress patterns, and cultural habits. Standardised treatment protocols often fall short.

AI supports personalised care by analysing:

Medication responses.
Dietary intake.
Blood markers.
Sleep and stress trends.
Coexisting medical conditions.

For example:

In diabetes care, AI helps personalise carbohydrate distribution and medication timing.
In hypertension, it identifies sodium sensitivity and stress-related spikes.
In hormonal conditions like PCOS, it aligns nutrition and activity with cycle patterns.

From a clinical standpoint, personalised insights improve adherence and reduce relapse rates.

AI-Enabled Telemedicine and Smarter Consultations

Telemedicine has become an essential part of care delivery in India. Patients frequently ask whether online consultations are as effective as in-person visits.

AI enhances telemedicine by:

Structuring symptom inputs before consultations.
Routing patients to the appropriate specialist.
Generating concise medical summaries for doctors.
Supporting follow-up reminders and medication adherence checks.

When used correctly, AI reduces diagnostic delays and improves consultation efficiency without compromising safety.

Expanding Healthcare Access Beyond Cities

A major question in public health is whether AI can truly improve rural healthcare access. In practice, it already is.

AI enables:

Remote diagnostics supported by portable devices.
Virtual specialist consultations for rural clinics.
Smartphone-based imaging and screening tools.
AI-guided triage in underserved regions.

By reducing dependence on physical proximity to specialists, AI helps bridge longstanding geographical barriers in India’s healthcare system.

Safety, Ethics, and the Role of Doctors in AI Care

Patients rightly express concern about safety, privacy, and over-reliance on technology. These concerns are valid.

Responsible AI use in healthcare requires:

Transparent algorithms.
Explicit patient consent.
High-quality, verified medical datasets.
Strict data privacy safeguards.
Continuous clinical supervision.

In ethical practice, AI outputs never replace medical judgment. Doctors remain accountable for decisions. Human-in-the-loop verification is essential to ensure patient safety and trust.

What This Transformation Means for Indian Patients

Artificial intelligence is fundamentally changing patient care in India by making healthcare more proactive, more precise, and more accessible. From early diagnosis to personalised treatment and continuous monitoring, AI empowers both patients and clinicians with data-backed clarity.

SecondMedic’s patient-first approach integrates AI as a clinical support system, not a replacement for doctors. By combining medical expertise with digital intelligence, the goal remains simple: better outcomes, earlier intervention, and care that adapts to each patient’s real-world needs.

As clinicians, our responsibility is to ensure that technology serves patients ethically and effectively. When used with care and oversight, AI has the potential to redefine healthcare delivery across India in a way that is inclusive, preventive, and sustainable.

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