INFLUENCE OF A SINGLE HELP APPLICATION ON HEMORHEOLOGY AND RETINAL HEMODYNAMICS

The heparin-induced extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein precipitati on (HELP) eliminates selectively fibrinogen, total cholesterol, low-de nsity lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides and improves hemorheology. We investigated the hemodynamic changes in 10 patients without ocular diseases performing a video fluorescein angiography after a single HEL P procedure measuring the arm-retina time (ART) and the arteriovenous passage time (AVP). Laboratory parameters such as fibrinogen, choleste rol, LDL, triglycerides, red cell transit time, plasma and whole-blood viscosity were determined and retinal circulation was measured immedi ately before and after the HELP application. All of the laboratory par ameters were lowered significantly. The ART was unaffected by the HELP procedure; however, there was a significant AVP reduction from 2.41 /- 0.49 to 1.97 +/- 0.47 (p < 0.005). These results support the hemorh eological and hemodynamic efficiency of the HELP system in microcircul atory diseases.