title: Selective removal of plasma low density lipoprotein with the HELP system: biweekly versus weekly therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Biweekly (once every 2 weeks) heparin-induced extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein (LDL) precipitation (HELP) therapy was evaluated for safety and efficacy in selectively reducing LDL cholesterol levels compared with weekly HELP therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biweekly treatments were given to high-risk, diet/drug resistant hypercholesterolemic patients (n = 23) after 6 months of weekly HELP therapy. Lipids, lipoprotein cholesterol, apolipoproteins A-I and B, and fibrinogen were measured on plasma samples before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean plasma volume treated was 2.8 l and mean treatment duration 1.7 h. Therapy complications were minimal. In 98% of 268 biweekly HELP treatments, LDL cholesterol levels were reduced by > 30%. For patients completing 6 months of biweekly therapy following 6 months' weekly therapy (n = 23), mean LDL cholesterol levels were reduced 138.5 mg/dl (111.2 mg/dl weekly) with a time-averaged decrease from mean pre-apheresis levels of 33% for biweekly therapy (39% weekly). Mean total cholesterol (161.2 mg/dl biweekly versus 132.9 weekly) and apolipoprotein B (104.6 mg/dl versus 92.6) levels were also reduced with each treatment. Mean HDL cholesterol was reduced only 6.1 mg/dl (6.3 mg/dl weekly).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Biweekly HELP treatments can safely reduce LDL cholesterol levels as consistently as weekly HELP treatments. However, the higher pre-treatment LDL cholesterol levels with biweekly treatments may produce less therapeutic benefit than with weekly therapy.
authors.affiliation: Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation, Oklahoma City 73104, USA.
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lane
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: McConathy
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Laughlin
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Comp
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: von Albertini
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Bricker
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kozlovskis
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Lees
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dorrier
mesh_terms: D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000379:methods*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005112:Extracorporeal Circulation; D005260:Female; D006493:Heparin / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008722:Methods; D008875:Middle Aged
chemical_list: D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D006493:Heparin