Hematologic and hemostatic changes induced by different columns during LDL apheresis.

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.