title: The German Lipoprotein Apheresis Registry (GLAR) - almost 5 years on.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Since 2005 an interdisciplinary German apheresis working group has been established by members of both German Societies of Nephrology and of Lipidologists and completed the data set for the registry according to the current guidelines and the German indication guideline for apheresis in 2009. In 2011 the German Lipoprotein Apheresis Registry (GLAR) was launched and data are available over nearly 5 years now.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During the time period 2012-2016, 71 German apheresis centers collected retrospective and prospective observational data of 1435 patients undergoing lipoprotein apheresis (LA) treatment of high LDL-C levels and/or high Lp (a) levels suffering from cardiovascular disease (CVD) or progressive CVD. A total of 15,527 completely documented LA treatments were entered into the database. All patients treated by LA showed a median LDL-C reduction rate of 67.5%, and a median Lp (a) reduction rate of 71.1%. Analog to the Pro(a)LiFe pattern, patient data were analyzed to the incidence rate of coronary events (MACE) 1 and 2 years before the beginning of LA treatment (y-2 and y‑1) and prospectively two years on LA treatment (y + 1 and y + 2). During two years of LA treatment a MACE reduction of 78% was observed. In the years considered, side effects of LA treatment were low (5.9%) and mainly comprised puncture problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The data generated by the GLAR shows that LA lowers the incidence rate of cardiovascular events in patients with high LDL-C and/or high Lp (a) levels, progressive CVD, and maximally tolerated lipid lowering medication. In addition, LA treatments were found to be safe with a low rate of side effects.
authors.affiliation: Center of Nephrology Göttingen GbR, An der Lutter 24, 37075, Göttingen, Germany. v.schettler@nz-goe.de.
authors.forename: V J J
authors.initials: VJJ
authors.lastname: Schettler
authors.affiliation: BRAVE e Benefit for Research on Arterial Hypertension, Dyslipidemia and Vascular Risk and Education e. V., Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: C L
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: Neumann
authors.affiliation: BioArtProducts GmbH (B.A.P.), Rostock, Germany.|Rostock Group (EXIM), Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peter
authors.affiliation: BioArtProducts GmbH (B.A.P.), Rostock, Germany.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zimmermann
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine III, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Julius
authors.affiliation: Center for Nephrology, Hypertension, and Metabolic Diseases, Hannover, Germany.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roeseler
authors.affiliation: Medical Care Centre Kempten-Allgäu, Kempten, Germany.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Heigl
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II for Nephrology, Hypertension and Vascular Risks, AGAPLESION Markus Hospital, Frankfurt, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Grützmacher
authors.affiliation: Scientific Institute for Nephrology (WiNe), Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Blume
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik und Poliklinik 4, Universität München, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vogt
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000009:adverse effects; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D006951:Hyperlipoproteinemias / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy*; D015994:Incidence; D017270:Lipoprotein(a) / Q000097:blood* / Q000235:genetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D017270:Lipoprotein(a)
keywords: Coronary heart disease; Lipoprotein apheresis; Lipoprotein apheresis registry; Prevention; Risk reduction