Treatment of homozygous and double heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemic children with LDL-apheresis

Int J Artif Organs. 1995 Feb;18(2):103-10.

Abstract

Within the framework of a seven-year clinical experience on treatment of severe hyperlipoproteinemia with/without associated coronary heart disease, with therapeutic plasmapheresis (APO B-100-containing lipoprotein-apheresis), we focused the present report on two young patients aged 7 and 11 years, respectively. The older patient is a boy treated since 1990 by plasma-exchange, cascade filtration-low density lipoprotein apheresis (LDL-apheresis), and dextrane sulphate-LDL apheresis. Over the treatment period the patient was submitted to three consecutive coronary angiographies. The second is a girl first submitted to a coronary angiography and then treated with dextrane sulphate-LDL apheresis. Up to now, a total of one-hundred therapeutic plasmaphereses have been performed. The interval of treatment was of fifteen days, and a volume of 2-3000 ml of plasma was processed at each session. The systems used were the following: DIDECO Vivacell BT 798-A, DIDECO Vivacell BT 798-A + BT 803, DIDECO BT 985 (Dideco, Mirandola, Italy), KANEKA MA-01 (Kanegafuchi, Osaka, Japan). Mean (SD) plasma apo B-100-containing major lipoprotein-LDL, Lp(a)-levels during treatment, are reported below: [table: see text] The treatment was very well tolerated. Rare, moderate hypotensive events occurred. Nevertheless, all procedures were regularly completed. A mild hypochromic anemia, regressed using drug treatment, was observed in the boy. Along with the improvement of plasma atherogenic profile, a regression of skin xanthomas and unchanged favourable coronary angiograms, were obtained in the above mentioned patient.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Apolipoproteins A / blood
  • Blood Component Removal*
  • Child
  • Cholesterol, HDL / blood
  • Cholesterol, LDL / metabolism*
  • Coronary Angiography
  • Dextran Sulfate / metabolism
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Heterozygote
  • Homozygote
  • Humans
  • Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / genetics
  • Hyperlipoproteinemia Type II / therapy*
  • Male
  • Pedigree
  • Plasmapheresis
  • Polymorphism, Restriction Fragment Length

Substances

  • Apolipoproteins A
  • Cholesterol, HDL
  • Cholesterol, LDL
  • Dextran Sulfate