Effectiveness of HA330 hemoperfusion as an adjunctive therapy for severe COVID-19 patients: a single center experience

Abstract

Background & objective: Cytokine storms play a significant role in conditions leading to multi-organ failure in patients with severe corona virus disease-2019 (COVID-19). The eradication of pro-inflammatory cytokines through hemoperfusion has been suggested to be a possible strategy to improve outcomes in these patients. We evaluated the impact of adjunctive HA330 hemoperfusion on outcomes in severe COVID-19 patients.

Methodology: A single-center retrospective cohort study was conducted from December 2021 to December 2022. We included severe COVID-19 patients with elevated pro-inflammatory markers, who received three consecutive sessions of HA330 hemoperfusion in addition to the standard treatment protocol. Clinical data, including demographic information, baseline characteristics, and treatment outcomes, were analyzed.

Results: We evaluated 24 severe COVID-19 patients. We observed a significant reduction in levels of CRP (P < 0.001) and IL-6 (P = 0.042), as well as a significant increase in arterial partial pressure of oxygen (P = 0.041). Importantly, no patient experienced cytotoxicity after the HA330 hemoperfusion sessions, confirming the biocompatibility of the treatment.

Conclusion: Three consecutive sessions of HA330 hemoperfusion, used as an adjunctive therapy to standard care in severe COVID-19 patients, effectively reduced pro-inflammatory cytokine levels and improved oxygenation. However, large multicenter trials are required to validate these clinical outcomes.

Abbreviations: APACHE-II - Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation; ARDS - acute respiratory distress syndrome; COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; ECMO - extracorporeal membrane oxygenation; IL-6 - interleukin 6; MCP-1 - monocyte chemoattractant protein-1; SARS-CoV-2 – severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; SOFA - Sequential Organ Failure Assessment; TNFα - tumor necrosis factor-α

Keywords: Hemoperfusion; Coronavirus Disease-2019; Cytokine; Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation

Citation: Phongphithakchai A, Saelue P, Wongpraphairot S, Boonsrirat U. Effectiveness of HA330 hemoperfusion as an adjunctive therapy for severe COVID-19 patients: a single center experience. Anaesth. pain intensive care 2024;28(2):265−271; DOI: 10.35975/apic.v28i2.2429

Received: November 17, 2024; Reviewed: January 31, 2024; Accepted: February 28, 2024