title: Plasmapheresis as part of the treatment for septic shock.
abstract: Plasmapheresis is one of the methods which has been tried in the effort to influence the course of severe sepsis with septic shock and to improve survival rates. This is a retrospective study of 17 consecutive patients with septic shock who were treated with acute plasmapheresis. Nine out of 16 patients with verified etiology suffered from infections with Gram-positive bacteria. Three (18%) of the treated patients died. The estimated mortality rate based on the patients' initial APACHE II scores was 62%. No serious side-effects of treatment were observed. This study indicates that plasmapheresis is a safe treatment for patients with septic shock and has a positive effect on survival. Prospective, randomized studies would be valuable to determine the role of plasmapheresis in the management of patients with septic shock.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Mälarsjukhuset, Eskilstuna, Sweden.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hjorth
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stenlund
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000382:microbiology / Q000628:therapy*