Extracorporeal membrane differential filtration - a new and safe method to optimize hemorheology in acute ischemic stroke

OBJECTIVE: Can extracorporeal membrane differential filtration be used on patients with acute stroke to optimize their hemorheology without reducing the number of oxygen carriers (erythrocytes) - and is this form of treatment safe? SUBJECTS AND METHODS: In a prospective pilot study, 10 patients (67+/-4 years) suffering severe middle cerebral artery (MCA) stroke were treated with membrane differential filtration, which was first performed within 12 h following the onset of symptoms and repeated three times at intervals of 24 h. Hemorheological parameters were measured before and after each treatment session. RESULTS: Extracorporeal membrane differential filtration treatment immediately led to a significant and sustained drop in all hemorheological parameters (fibrinogen by 54%, alpha2-macroglobulin by 76%, total cholesterol by 65%, LDL by 82%, and HDL by 38%). Plasma viscosity dropped from 1.3 to 1.1 mPa s, erythrocyte aggregation by 57%. By contrast, hematocrit and the erythrocyte count remained constant. Treatment had no side-effects. CONCLUSIONS: Extracorporeal membrane differential filtration is a safe method to optimize hemorheology in patients with acute ischemic stroke.