LDL apheresis in the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia: experience of Hospital Santo António, Porto.
BACKGROUND
High plasma levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol are a risk factor for the development of premature atherosclerosis. Direct adsorption of lipoproteins (DALI) is an apheresis technique by which LDL cholesterol is selectively removed from whole blood.


OBJECTIVE
The present study describes our experience with DALI LDL apheresis in severely hypercholesterolemic patients.


METHODS
Three hypercholesterolemic patients suffering from atherosclerotic complications were treated fortnightly by DALI apheresis, in a total of 308 sessions between December 2008 and January 2013. All patients were on the highest tolerated dose of statins and other lipid-lowering drugs.


RESULTS
The sessions were essentially uneventful, adverse events being recorded in only 3.6% of them. A mean 63.3% acute reduction in LDL cholesterol was obtained.


CONCLUSIONS
DALI apheresis proved to be a simple, safe and efficient method of lipid apheresis in hypercholesterolemic patients refractory to conservative lipid-lowering therapy.
Serviço de Endocrinologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal. Electronic address: isabel.m.mangas@gmail.com.
Isabel
I
Palma
Serviço de Endocrinologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Ana Rita
AR
Caldas
Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Universidade do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Isabel Mangas
IM
Palma
Serviço de Nefrologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
José Alexandre
JA
Queirós
Serviço de Nefrologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Anselmo
A
Madureira
Serviço de Química Clínica, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
José Carlos
JC
Oliveira
Serviço de Cardiologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Paulo
P
Palma
Serviço de Neurologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Carlos
C
Correia
Serviço de Endocrinologia, Hospital Santo António - Centro Hospitalar do Porto, Porto, Portugal.
Maria Helena
MH
Ramos
D001781:Blood Component Removal; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D006938:Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011174:Portugal; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
D008078:Cholesterol, LDL
Adsorção direta de lipoproteínas‐aférese; Cardiovascular disease; Direct adsorption of lipoprotein apheresis; Doença cardiovascular; Familial hypercholesterolemia; Hipercolesterolemia familiar; Lipoproteína (a); Lipoproteínas de baixa densidade‐aférese; Low‐density lipoprotein apheresis; Serum lipoprotein(a)