Fibrinogen reduction and bleeding complications in plasma exchange, immunoadsorption and a combination of the two

Abstract

Background: Immunoadsorption (IAS) and therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) are considered safe although fibrinogen is removed. To date no comparison of fibrinogen reduction and associated risk of bleeding in apheresis exists.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of TPE, three IAS adsorbers, and combined TPE/IAS regarding fibrinogen reduction and bleeding incidence in 67 patients (1,032 treatments).

Results: TPE and TPE/IAS reduced fibrinogen by 64 ± 11% and 58 ± 9%, leading to concentrations <100 mg/dl in 20 and 17% of treatments, respectively. IAS decreased fibrinogen less than TPE (26 ± 6%, p < 0.0001), resulting in fibrinogen concentrations <100 mg/dl in 1% of treatments. The processed volume correlated with reduction in TPE (r = 0.64, p < 0.01), but not in IAS. Bleeding occurred in 1.3% (IAS), 2.3% (TPE) and 3.1% (TPE/IAS) of treatments.

Conclusion: Hypofibrinogenemia occurs in 20% of patients after TPE and TPE/IAS, but rarely after IAS. IAS removes fibrinogen independently of volume processed. Overall, bleeding is rare in apheresis.