Influence of hemoperfusion on the concentrations of calcitonin, testosterone and cortisol in blood plasma

Abstract

The influence of hemoperfusion with a cellulose-acetate-coated charcoal column (Adsorba 300-C, Gambro, Lund, Sweden) on plasma concentrations of calcitonin, testosterone and cortisol was studied in five psoriatic patients during 12 treatment periods. Calcitonin, testosterone and cortisol were effectively removed from blood plasma by the charcoal column with average plasma clearances of 34.0, 14.5 and 27.6 ml/min, respectively, at 30 minutes of hemoperfusion, and 4.9, 15.4 and 24.4 ml/min, respectively, at 180 minutes of hemoperfusion. After three hours of hemoperfusion, significant decreases of testosterone and cortisol were found in peripheral venous blood, while calcitonin fell insignificantly. It remains to be elucidated whether long-term use of hemoperfusion would require a detailed control of possible effects on the endocrine status of patients.