Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is well-established in selected patients with uncontrolled LDL levels. As such treatment affects biomarkers important in atherosclerosis and acute coronary syndromes, we systematically compared the inflammatory response induced by three LDL apheresis columns. Three patients with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia participated in a cross-over study with six consecutive treatments with three different LDL apheresis columns: DL-75 (whole blood adsorption), LA-15 (plasma adsorption), and EC-50W (plasma filtration). Biochemical parameters and inflammatory biomarkers, including complement activation products and 27 cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors were measured before and after treatment. Complement was activated through the alternative pathway. The final end product sC5b-9 increased significantly (P < 0.01) and equally with all devices, whereas the anaphylatoxins C3a and C5a were lower by use of the adsorption columns. Hs-CRP was reduced by 77% (DL-75), 72% (LA-15), and 43% (EC-50W). The cytokines were consistently either increased (IL-1ra, IP-10, MCP-1), decreased (IFN-gamma, TNF-alpha, RANTES, PDGF, VEGF), or hardly changed (including IL-6, IL8, MIP-1alphabeta) during treatment. The changes were in general less pronounced with the adsorption columns. All columns reduced LDL significantly and to the same extent. In conclusion, three LDL-apheresis devices with equal cholesterol-lowering effect differed significantly with respect to the inflammatory response.

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Low density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is a long-term treatment and its impact on risk factors other than lipoproteins could be of importance. Three patients with familial hypercholesterolemia participated in six consecutive treatments with three different LDL apheresis columns in random order: DL-75, LA-15, and EC-50W. We compared treatment effects on hemoglobin, leukocytes, platelets, fibrinogen, thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), and homocysteine. Hemoglobin, leukocytes and platelets decreased significantly with DL-75 (P < 0.05). Hemoglobin and leukocytes increased significantly with LA-15 and EC-50W (P < 0.05). Platelets were unchanged. The DL-75 column was statistically different from LA-15 and EC-50W regarding these parameters. With the columns DL-75, LA-15, and EC-50W fibrinogen decreased significantly by 28%, 32%, and 42%, PAI-1 decreased significantly by 72%, 58%, and 30% while TAT increased significantly by 138%, 3%, and 251%, respectively (P < 0.05 for all). When comparing the columns there were significant differences between all of them regarding fibrinogen, no differences regarding TAT and a difference between DL-75 and EC-50W regarding PAI-1. With the columns DL-75, LA-15 and EC-50W homocysteine decreased 22%, 9%, and 13%, respectively, but there were no inter column differences. In conclusion, the three LDL apheresis columns affected important hematological and hemostatic risk factors differently.

Introduction: Even if proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 inhibitors have replaced lipoprotein apheresis in many patients, lipoprotein apheresis still is an important option in homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia, progressive atherosclerosis or when removal of lipoprotein(a) is indicated. Additional possible favorable effects beyond lipid lowering could include changes in the concentration of cytokines and improvement of hemorheology. Methods: We evaluated how whole blood adsorption, dextran sulfate plasma adsorption, and double filtration plasmapheresis lipoprotein apheresis systems affected cytokine concentrations, using a human whole blood ex vivo model differentiating the effect of the lipoprotein apheresis and plasma separation columns and describing temporal changes.

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En mann i 70-årene ble innlagt etter at han var blitt funnet i en grøft. Han var forvirret og fikk gradvis nedsatt bevissthet. Pasienten hadde en syrebase-forstyrrelse som det skulle vise seg vanskelig å finne årsaken til. Mannen i 70-årene hadde dratt ut på treningstur og ble funnet forvirret i en grøft ved siden av sykkelen sin. Ambulansepersonellet beskrev ham som ustø og hjelptrengende ved forflytning. Det forelå ingen opplysninger om hva som hadde skjedd eller når pasienten sist var sett. På legevakten ble det ikke observert tegn til ytre skader, tungebitt, munnfråde, spontan vannavgang, fokalnevrologiske utfall eller kardiologiske symptomer. EKG ble tolket som mulig atrieflimmer.

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The aim of the study was to investigate the role of complement factor 5 (C5) in reactions elicited by plasma separation using blood from a C5-deficient (C5D) individual, comparing it to C5-deficient blood reconstituted with C5 (C5DR) and blood from healthy donors. Blood was circulated through an ex vivo plasma separation model. Leukocyte CD11b expression and leukocyte-platelet conjugates were measured by flow cytometry during a 30-min period. Other markers were assessed during a 240-min period. Granulocyte and monocyte CD11b expression did not increase in C5D blood during plasma separation. In C5DR samples granulocytes CD11b expression, measured by mean fluorescence intensity (MFI), increased from 10481 ± 6022 (SD) to 62703 ± 4936, and monocytes CD11b expression changed from 13837 ± 7047 to 40063 ± 713. Granulocyte-platelet conjugates showed a 2.5-fold increase in the C5DR sample compared to the C5D sample. Monocyte-platelet conjugates increased independently of C5. In the C5D samples, platelet count decreased from 210 × 10 /L (201-219) (median and range) to 51 × 10 /L (50-51), and C3bc increased from 14 CAU/mL (21-7) to 198 CAU/mL (127-269), whereas TCC formation was blocked during plasma separation. In conclusion, up-regulation of granulocyte and monocyte CD11b during plasma separation was C5-dependent. The results also indicate C5 dependency in granulocyte-platelet conjugates formation.