title: A method for chronic membrane plasmapheresis in the rat.
abstract: Therapeutic apheresis as applied to humans may encompass a single treatment or numerous treatments for disorders ranging from acute poisoning to severe chronic autoimmune disease. However, the mechanisms of beneficial effects of apheresis are not well characterized. Utilizing a miniaturized hollow-fiber membrane system, we have developed a reliable technique for long-term vascular access in the rat that permits repetitive plasmapheresis. We established vascular access in 14 animals, with 8 and 6 rats randomized to 3- and 7-wk experimental periods, respectively. Immunoglobulin levels of blood samples obtained immediately before and after each plasmapheresis were measured to examine membrane filtration characteristics. Overall, 100% of the animals survived and 93% successfully completed their assigned experimental periods. Mean decrease of immunoglobulin G and M levels for 28 plasmapheresis treatments in five rats was 66.9 +/- 8.1 and 61.0 +/- 7.3% (SD), respectively, indicating effective membrane filtration. This model of apheresis can be applied to several disorders in the rat, including, but not limited to, spontaneous insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and experimental inflammatory bowel disease.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Mercy Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219-5166.
authors.forename: D B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Follette
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kerr
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Nasca
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Euler
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Pinevich
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001781:Blood Component Removal; D005260:Female; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D008567:Membranes, Artificial; D010956:Plasmapheresis / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D014462:Ultrafiltration
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D008567:Membranes, Artificial