Platelet function and lipoprotein levels after plasma-exchange in patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia.
1. Repeated plasma exchange was carried out on three young patients with severe familial hypercholesterolaemia. There was a 3 week interval between each exchange. After a single exchange, plasma cholesterol, apolipoprotein B and low density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels decreased markedly, but pre-exchange levels were not achieved within 2 weeks. High density lipoprotein-cholesterol and apolipoprotein A-I levels also fell but returned to the original concentration after only 5 days. 2. Platelet aggregation and [14C]serotonin release were increased in all three patients and dropped by 20% and 13% respectively after a single plasma exchange. Platelet function in vitro returned to pre-exchange levels with similar kinetics to that observed with the low density lipoprotein concentration. On removal of 100 g of plasma cholesterol, after repeated exchanges, low density lipoprotein concentration and platelet function were significantly decreased in comparison with values before initiation of plasma exchange. In addition there was a marked regression of xanthoma in all three patients. 3. Since this procedure is instrumental in achieving a negative cholesterol balance as well as inhibiting hypersensitive platelets, it may well result in a downgrading of the atherosclerotic risk.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001053:Apolipoproteins / Q000097:blood; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000502:physiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy; D008074:Lipoproteins / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D010974:Platelet Aggregation; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001053:Apolipoproteins; D008074:Lipoproteins; D010743:Phospholipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D012701:Serotonin; D002784:Cholesterol