LDL-PRECIPITATION AND ITS INFLUENCE ON HEMORHEOLOGY AND CLINICAL SYMPTOMS IN ACUTE STROKE AND CEREBRAL MULTIINFARCT DISEASE

The effect of heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (HELP), which is a relatively new method for safe and immediate reduction of parameters relevant to haemorheology, such as plasma fibrinogen or the lipoproteins, was investigated in 26 patients with cerebrovascular di sease (CVD). 12 of them suffered from acute thrombembolic stroke, 14 h ad cerebral multiinfarct dementia. All the patients underwent 2 HELP a pplications within 8 days. The impact of HELP on CVD was studied by ch anges of laboratory data and by evaluation of clinical symptoms before and after treatment. Each HELP session caused an immediate, safe and significant reduction of important rheological parameters such as fibr inogen (p<0.001), whole blood viscosity at high and low shear rate, pl asma viscosity and red cell transit time (p<0.01 each). Even total cho lesterol and low density lipoprotein (p<0.0001 each), lipoprotein (a) (p<0.003) and the triglycerides (p<0.0001) had been reduced. The resul ts in laboratory measurement were followed in both groups by a statist ically significant improved neurologic recovery, represented in the va lues of the Mathew Scale, the Mini Mental State Examination and the Ac tivities-of-Daily-Living-Test. These results can indicate the importan ce and influence of haemorheology on clinical symptoms in CVD.