title: Prospective multicentre study of the effect of voluntary plasmapheresis on plasma cholesterol levels in donors.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  LDL apheresis is used to treat patients with familial hypercholesterolaemia, and low-volume plasmapheresis for plasma donation may similarly lower cholesterol levels in some donors. This study was designed to assess the effect of plasmapheresis on total, LDL and HDL cholesterol levels in a plasma donor population.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a prospective, unblinded longitudinal cohort study in which a blood sample was obtained for analysis before each donation. Data from 663 donors were analysed using a multivariable repeated measures regression model with a general estimating equations approach with changes in cholesterol as the primary outcome measure.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The model predicted a significant decrease in total and LDL cholesterol for both genders and all baseline cholesterol levels (P < 0.01). The greatest total cholesterol decreases (women, -46.8 mg/dL; men, -32.2 mg/dL) were associated with high baseline levels and 2-4 days between donations. Small but statistically significant increases (P ≤ 0.01) in HDL cholesterol were predicted for donors with low baseline levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that, in donors with elevated baseline cholesterol levels, total and LDL cholesterol levels may decrease during routine voluntary plasmapheresis.
authors.affiliation: Grifols, Plasma Operations, Los Angeles, CA, USA. marilyn.rosa@grifols.com
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rosa-Bray
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wisdom
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wada
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grifols-Roura
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Grifols-Lucas
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001782:Blood Donors; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008954:Models, Biological; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D011446:Prospective Studies
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL
keywords: cholesterol level; plasma donation; plasma donor; plasmapheresis