title: [Heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (HELP). A new therapeutic possibility in cerebral multi-infarct dementia].
abstract: High fibrinogen levels have been assessed in cerebrovascular disease with a direct relationship to blood rheology. Heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (HELP) is a method that effectively reduces fibrinogen and lipoproteins at the same time, thus improving the hemorheologic pattern. We studied 45 patients with cerebral multiinfarct dementia. After computer-randomization 30 patients received a HELP treatment, while the remaining 15 patients served as controls. HELP produced an immediate and statistically significant reduction on parameters relevant to hemorheology, such as fibrinogen (P < 0.001), total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides (P < 0.0001 each) and whole blood viscosity (at high and low shear rate) as well as plasma viscosity and red cell transit time (P < 0.01 each). The treated group showed improvement after HELP (P < 0.05 for each test) on the Mathew Neurological Scale, Mini Mental State Examination and Activities-of-Daily-Living Test and also relative to the untreated controls (P < 0.05 each). These results may be regarded as a basis for some reflections about new hemorheological interventions in cases of cerebral multiinfarct dementia.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Klinik für Neurologie Graz.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Walzl
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Walzl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kleinert
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schied
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lechner
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000502:physiology; D011232:Chemical Precipitation; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D015161:Dementia, Multi-Infarct / Q000097:blood / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D004907:Erythrocyte Deformability / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism; D006440:Hemofiltration / Q000295:instrumentation*; D006493:Heparin / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D008077:Lipoproteins, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides; D005340:Fibrinogen; D006493:Heparin; D002784:Cholesterol
vernacular_title: Heparin-induzierte extrakorporale LDL-Präzipitation (HELP). Eine neue therapeutische Möglichkeit bei zerebraler Multiinfarktdemenz.