Extracorporeal therapy in the treatment of sepsis: In vitro assessment of the effect of an absorbent cartridge on the circulating bacterial concentration and its interaction with the antibiotic therapy.

Sepsis is one of the major causes of death worldwide. In its physiopathological process, a broad spectrum of pro and antiinflammatory mediators plays a strategic role, leading to a sepsis induced state of immunoparalysis. The rationale behind the employment of extracorporeal purification techniques as a complement to therapy for sepsis is based on their ability to remove the mediators involved. Until now, attention was focused on the immunomodulation allowed by purification therapies. However, the focus of studies on the application possibilities that these techniques offer as a supplement to antimicrobial therapy and resuscitation of critically ill patients must be extended. In this study, the possible removal by adsorption that the Jafron HA330 cartridge operates against bacteria (S. aureus) was evaluated in vitro. Subsequently, it was evaluated whether the adsorptive capabilities toward bacteria were maintained by using a cartridge functionalized with Vancomycin and whether the latter maintains its bactericidal activity. This study showed that HA330 reduces the circulating bacterial load, even in the presence of pre-adsorbed Vancomycin. Vancomycin, once adsorbed by the cartridge, does not guarantee its bactericidal activity during the 2-h of hemoperfusion treatment.