Since Dec. 2019 the new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) has infected millions and claimed life of several hundred thousand worldwide. However, so far no approved vaccine or drug therapy is available for treatment of virus infection. Convalescent plasma has been considered a potential modality for COVID-19 infection. One hundred eighty-nine COVID-19 positive patients including 115 patients in plasma therapy group and 74 patients in control group, registered in the hospitals with confirmed COVID-19 infection, entered this multi-center clinical study. Comparison of outcomes including all-cause mortality, total hospitalization days and patients’ need for intubation between the two patient groups shows that total of 98 (98.2 %) of patients who received convalescent plasma were discharged from hospital which is substantially higher compared to 56 (78.7 %) patients in control group. Length of hospitalization days was significantly lower (9.54 days) in convalescent plasma group compared with that of control group (12.88 days). Only 8 patients (7%) in convalescent plasma group required intubation while that was 20 % in control group. This clinical study provides strong evidence to support the efficacy of convalescent plasma therapy in COVID-19 patients and recommends this treatment for management of these patients. Clinical efficacy, immediate availability and potential cost effectiveness could be considered as main advantages of convalescent plasma therapy.

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We conclude that about half of patients had diagnostic constrictive bronchiolitis, or bronchiolectasis and mucus stasis consistent with more proximal luminal compromise. The fact that there were no differences between the low- and high-dose groups suggests that effects of SM are not solely dependent on the severity of exposure. The results also indicate that the diagnosis of chronic lung disease due to SM may be difficult. Surgical lung biopsy may be helpful in difficult cases, as constrictive (obliterative) bronchiolitis can be present in symptomatic patients with normal PFTs and chest HRCT.

Over 100,000 Iranian war veterans suffer from chronic effects of mustard gas exposure. Sulfur mustard was used by Iraq during the Iraqi-imposed war on Iran (between 1980 and 1988). The major complaints of these patients are mild interstitial fibrosis and bronchiolitis. We aimed to determine the state of fibrosis progression and assessed transforming growth factor (TGF)-beta1 levels in pulmonary samples and in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) aspirates. A total of 126 war veterans confirmed for lung disease were assessed and compared with three control groups: 1) 64 veterans not exposed to chemical agents, 2) 12 idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis civilian patients, and 3) 33 normal persons. BAL was performed via a flexible fiber-optic bronchoscope and the standard manual method. Total protein was measured by Bradford assay, and samples were corrected with regard to coefficients. Samples were concentrated 15-fold by lyophilization and resolubilization. Samples were double-checked using an ELISA test kit. The Mann-Whitney test was used for the data analysis using commercial software. We detected that significant differences between TGF-beta1 levels between the case group and control group 1 (P = 0.001) and control group 3 (P = 0.003). No significant differences were found between the case group and control group 2 (P = 0.57). Inflammation and fibrotic processes in lung tissue of patients exposed to sulfur mustard may be progressive so IFN-gamma may be a useful drug to these patients' treatment.

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