Monoclonal antibody therapy to Omicron suspected patients gives intriguing results

While the doctors have come across similar symptoms in all the Omicron infected patients such as fever, they all had severe myalgia (muscle pain)

The administration of monoclonal antibody therapy to the Omicron variant-infected as well as suspected patients at the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital is giving intriguing results to doctors.

Currently, the isolation ward of the hospital has four patients. While the 46-year-old anaesthetist is a confirmed Omicron-infected patient, the other three are suspected to be Omicron patients, including an ophthalmologist (wife of the 46-year-old doctor), another anaesthetist, a vascular surgeon and a cardiothoracic surgeon.

Duty doctors at the hospital revealed to DH that the infection in all of them is resolved except in the ophthalmologist. According to doctors, she was the only patient who had not taken monoclonal antibody therapy. The objective of this treatment is to stimulate the patient's immune system to attack certain protein cells in the virus.

The treating physician Dr Madhumathi R, professor of Medicine at Bowring, said, "Because she (the ophthalmologist) had not taken the cocktail antibodies, infection is taking its natural course. It is a new virus in its neonatal phase. It is very difficult to tell what therapy works. It depends on the attending clinician. Everybody may not receive it."

Adding further, the doctor said, "Usually, the therapy is used for patients with risk factors like immunocompromised conditions, diabetes, hypertension and advanced age. Only one or two of them haven't taken this treatment. It is a costly treatment," she added.

Severe myalgia (muscle pain)

While the doctors have come across similar symptoms in all the patients such as fever, they all had severe myalgia (muscle pain). "Obesity plays a role alongside any comorbid condition for that matter. Most of them have no comorbidities. One of them is slightly obese," she said.

Daily schedule

A typical day in the Omicron ward includes monitoring the vitals of the seven patients (including two children), checking oxygen saturation, making them do a six-minute walk test (desaturation is an early symptom of deterioration in the patient's condition), and collecting blood samples once in 48 hours to do routine investigations.

"They listen to music as it is normal to feel anxious about this situation. Since they are doctors they know how to manage these tests. Because this is a new virus, there is a little anxiety in the ward. We counsel and talk to them. There can be extrapulmonary manifestations like cardiac symptoms or post-viral complications so we advise rest, fluids and diet to improve their immune system," she said.

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