LOW-DENSITY-LIPOPROTEIN HEMOPERFUSION USING A MODIFIED POLYACRYLATE ADSORBER - IN-VITRO, EX-VIVO, AND FIRST CLINICAL-RESULTS

Current lipid apheresis techniques can remove low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol only from plasma, i.e., a primary cell-plasma separa tion step is mandatory. This article describes in vitro, ex vivo, and clinical results using a new LDL adsorber compatible with human whole blood, It consists of modified polyacrylate, the negative charges of w hich can interact with the positively charged protein B moiety of LDL, thus retaining these particles on the surface of the adsorber. After the efficacy and selectivity of LDL removal had been demonstrated in v itro and ex vivo, a clinical pilot study corroborated these results. T hus, treating 60 mi of blood per kilogram of body weight in a single s ession, LDL hemoperfusion reduced LDL cholesterol by 50%, lipoprotein (a) by 17%, and triglycerides by 19% in 6 hypercholesterolemic patient s. High-density lipoprotein cholesterol recovery amounted to 97%. In c onclusion, LDL hemoperfusion holds great promise for the future.