Effects of ameliorated haemorheology on clinical symptoms in cerebrovascular disease.

Cerebrovascular disease (CVD) is associated with high fibrinogen levels and lipid fractions leading to an increase of both plasma and whole blood viscosity as well as raised aggregability of blood cells. One important goal in the treatment of cerebral multiinfarct dementia (MID) therefore should be to reduce fibrinogen and lipoproteins and thereby to improve the haemorheological state. The effect of heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (H.

Heparin-induced extracorporeal fibrinogen/LDL precipitation (HELP): a promising regimen for the treatment of vascular diseases.

Current management of atherosclerotic diseases consists primarily of medical therapy designed to increase oxygen supply to the heart, the brain, retinal vessels, or lower limbs. The development of these diseases is based on atherosclerotic changes induced by risk factors such as elevated levels of fibrinogen and lipoproteins. These risk factors are related to a dramatic deterioration of the hemorrheologic pattern, which reduces perfusion.

Application of HELP in nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Background: Heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL/fibrinogen precipitation (HELP) eliminates selectively fibrinogen, LDL, cholesterol, triglycerides and LP(a) from blood plasma using extracorporeal circulation. The reduction of fibrinogen and LDL by about 50% after only one procedure immediately improves the hemorheological situation.

Method: In a prospective, randomized, controlled study over a period of 3 months, 40 patients with nonarteritic ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) were randomly assigned to either HELP or hemodilution therapy to determine the efficacy of these two treatments on visual acuity and fields.

Influence of a single HELP application on hemorheology and retinal hemodynamics.

The heparin-induced extracorporeal low-density lipoprotein precipitation (HELP) eliminates selectively fibrinogen, total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and triglycerides and improves hemorheology. We investigated the hemodynamic changes in 10 patients without ocular diseases performing a video fluorescein angiography after a single HELP procedure measuring the arm-retina time (ART) and the arteriovenous passage time (AVP). Laboratory parameters such as fibrinogen, cholesterol, LDL, triglycerides, red cell transit time, plasma and whole-blood viscosity were determined and retinal circulation was measured immediately before and after the HELP application.

Increased cerebral perfusion following reduction of fibrinogen and lipid fractions.

High levels of plasma fibrinogen in cerebrovascular disease cause deterioration in the hemorheologic pattern, microcirculation and cerebral perfusion. We compared the value of heparin-induced extracorporeal LDL precipitation (HELP) which is a method that safely and effectively reduces plasma fibrinogen and lipoproteins and so improves the hemorheologic pattern and blood flow properties. Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) was measured by the 133Xe SPECT clearance method.