The use of extracorporeal techniques to remove humoral factors in sepsis.
OBJECTIVE
To determine whether there is sufficient evidence of a benefit of hemofiltration or plasma filtration in sepsis.


METHODS
Medline search, search of references in articles found in Medline search, literature known to local experts.


METHODS
Trials and reports where clinical outcome measures were included.


METHODS
Clinically relevant information was presented.


RESULTS
Studies were grouped according to hemofiltration or plasma filtration and within each of these groups into animal or human studies; then they were graded from case report, through case series, nonrandomized trials, and randomized trials.


CONCLUSIONS
There is a lack of randomized trials. The available studies show an absence of benefit for hemofiltration. Further studies are needed in plasma filtration.
McMaster
Paddy
P
Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, The Royal Children's Hospital, Melbourne, Australia.
Shann
Frank
F
D000818:Animals; D002498:Centrifugation; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D006440:Hemofiltration; D006801:Humans; D010372:Pediatrics; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D006435:Renal Dialysis; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood* / Q000628:therapy*
D016207:Cytokines