Comparison of centrifugal-membrane hybrid plasmapheresis and centrifugation therapeutic plasma exchange in hyperlipidemia

[Objective] To establish a new centrifugal-membrane hybrid plasmapheresis (CMHP) model, and observe its clinical efficacy, safety and advantages in the treatment of hyperlipidemia by comparing with centrifugation therapeutic plasma exchange (cTPE). [Methods] A retrospective analysis was performed on 47 patients with hyperlipidemia treated in our department from August 2021 to September 2023, with a total of 60 treatments. They were divided into two groups: CMHP group with 37 patients and 46 treatments; cTPE group included 10 patients with 14 treatments. In the CMHP group, the plasma was separated by a blood cell separator and the plasma components were separated by a two-stage membrane plasma component separator. In the cTPE group, the plasma was separated by a blood cell separator for therapeutic plasma exchange. The clinical efficacy, safety and advantages of the two groups were compared. [Results] The reduction ratios of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) before and after treatment in CMHP group were 68.56%[59.81%, 73.42%], 65.80%[55.55%, 75.98%] and 46.57%[36.02%, 54.83%] and 66.67%[43.48%, 76.24%] respectively, with statistically significant difference (P<0.001). The decrease ratios of TC, TG and HDL-C before and after treatment in cTPE group were 42.52%[29.67%, 49.85%], 52.32%[38.43%, 67.07%] and 22.36%[8.51%, 33.65%], respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The plasma treatment multiple was 1.48 (0.29) in CMHP group, which was significantly higher than 0.87 (0.26) in cTPE group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001), resulting in higher TC and HDL-C reduction ratios in CMHP group than in cTPE group, with a statistically significant difference (P<0.001), while there was no significant difference in TG reduction rate between the two groups (P>0.05). At the same time, the cTPE group required 1 520.00 mL[1 462.50 mL, 2 000.00 mL] plasma input, while the CMHP group achieved zero blood input. The adverse reaction ratio was 6.52%(3/46) in CMHP group and 7.14%(1/14) in cTPE group, and the difference was not statistically significant (P>0.05). [Conclusion] Compared with cTPE, CMHP can better reduce blood lipid levels without any blood products, avoid the spread of blood infectious diseases, and have a low incidence of adverse reactions, so it has a good clinical application prospect.