Affiliation:
1. Department of Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Akita University Graduate School of Medicine Akita Japan
Abstract
AbstractIntroductionCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) is associated with a marked increase in the inflammatory cytokines, IL‐6 and IL‐18. Blood purification therapy aimed at controlling cytokines is one treatment option; however, evidence of its effectiveness is needed. Plasma exchange with dialysis (PED) is a blood purification method involving selective plasma exchange with dialysate flowing through the outer hollow fiber of the plasma separator. In this retrospective study, we investigated the efficacy of continuous PED (cPED) over 48 h in five patients with severe COVID‐19.MethodsWe assessed changes in IL‐6 and IL‐18, as well as adiponectin (APN).ResultsThere were no significant differences in changes in IL‐6 and IL‐18, but there was a marked improvement in cases with abnormally high IL‐6 and IL‐18 levels at baseline. APN, which inhibits inflammatory cytokines, was significantly elevated post‐cPED.ConclusionOur results suggest that cPED therapy is an effective treatment for COVID‐19.