Severe dyslipidemia in pregnancy: The role of therapeutic apheresis.

During pregnancy physiological changes occur in the lipid metabolism due to changing hormonal conditions: the LDL cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] increase throughout pregnancy. Common lipoprotein disorders are associated in pregnancy with two major clinical disorders: severe hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG) is a potent risk factor for development of acute pancreatitis and elevated cholesterol due to greater concentrations of LDL and remnant lipoproteins and reduced levels of HDL promote atherosclerosis. The combination of homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia (HoFH) and pregnancy can be a fatal condition.

HELP LDL apheresis reduces plasma pentraxin 3 in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Pentraxin 3 (PTX3), a key component of the humoral arm of innate immunity, is secreted by vascular cells in response to injury, possibly aiming at tuning arterial activation associated with vascular damage. Severe hypercholesterolemia as in familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) promotes vascular inflammation and atherosclerosis; low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis is currently the treatment of choice to reduce plasma lipids in FH. HELP LDL apheresis affects pro- and antiinflammatory biomarkers, however its effects on PTX3 levels are unknown.

[Treatment of sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) with HELP-apheresis: our experience].

In a specific group of patients affected by sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) with high plasma levels of LDL-cholesterol and/or fibrinogen, HELP-apheresis treatment makes a difference in hearing recovery and is a further option available in SSHL therapy.

[Use of virus-inactivated plasma in apheresis treatment of thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura: preliminary data].

Plasma exchange (TPEx) with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or cryosupernatant plasma infusion is the treatment of choice for thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). The authors evaluate the preliminary data of the multicenter SIdEM study that compares virus-inactivated plasma with fresh frozen plasma (FFP) or cryosupernatant plasma in the apheretic treatment of TTP.

Effect of low-density lipoprotein apheresis on circulating endothelial progenitor cells in familial hypercholesterolemia.

Background: Long-term treatment with low-density lipoprotein (LDL) apheresis (LA) has been shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events in patients affected by familial hypercholesterolemia (FH). Data from experimental studies suggest that circulating endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) can repair the vascular lesions caused by atherosclerosis. Since a reduction of these cells has been demonstrated to predict atherosclerosis progression, the aim of this study was to verify whether LA can increase the percentage of EPCs.

The unbearable lightness of health science reporting: a week examining Italian print media.

Background: Although being an important source of science news information to the public, print news media have often been criticized in their credibility. Health-related content of press media articles has been examined by many studies underlining that information about benefits, risks and costs are often incomplete or inadequate and financial conflicts of interest are rarely reported. However, these studies have focused their analysis on very selected science articles.

Treatment with HELP-apheresis in patients suffering from sudden sensorineural hearing loss: a prospective, randomized, controlled study.

Objectives/hypothesis: This study's aim was to verify whether, in patients affected by sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) with high plasmatic levels of low-density-lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and/or fibrinogen, the therapeutic approach with a single selective plasmapheresis (HELP-apheresis) followed by 10 days of standard treatment (glycerol and dexamethazone) is more effective than 10 days of standard treatment.

Study Design: Randomized, superiority study (difference >or=30%).

Methods: One hundred thirty-two patients were admitted to the trial and randomly allocated to two different arms; 60 were given standard treatment and 72 were treated with HELP-apheresis plus standard treatment.

Lipoprotein glomerulopathy treated with LDL-apheresis (Heparin-induced Extracorporeal Lipoprotein Precipitation system): a case report.

Introduction: Lipoprotein glomerulopathy is a glomerulonephritis which was described for the first time by Saito in 1989 and is currently acknowledged as a separate nosological entity. It is histologically characterized by a marked dilatation of the glomerular capillaries and the presence of lipoprotein thrombi in the glomerular lumens. The dyslipidemic profile is similar to that of type III dyslipoproteinemia with Apolipoprotein E values that are often high; proteinuria and renal dysfunction are present.