H.E.L.P. – A possibility to change the hemorheologic profile in cerebrovascular disease

The H.E.L.P. system (Heparin mediated Extracorporeal LDL <Cholesterol, Triglycerides, Fibrinogen> Precipitation) permits interference into the hemorheologic profile. Using this method, cellular and plasma compartments can be seperated. By lowering the plasma pH to 5.2 it is possible to remove heparinized and precipitated cholesterol, LDL, LP(a), triglycerides and fibrinogen complexes and – after bicarbonate dialysis – to restore the plasma. This procedure was studied in 12 patients with acute thrombembolic stroke and in 14 patients with multi-infarct dementia. Before first H.E.L.P. application no relevant differences in the above-mentioned parameters were found between the two groups. By two H.E.L.P. applications (26 patients) within 8 days it was possible to repeatably reduce (p<.01) whole blood viscosity (shear rate 11 sec⁻¹) from 10.72 to 8.12 and (shear rate 94 sec⁻¹) from 5.45 to 4.27, plasma viscosity from 1.50 to 1.23, RCTT from 14.17 to 10.56, fibrinogen from 536.2 to 331.5 mg%, cholesterol from 209.8 to 124.5 mg%, LDL from 122.2 to 60.3 mg%, LP(a) from 20.0 to 10.1 and triglycerides from 186.7 to 70.1 mg%. Further a steady lowering of whole blood viscosity prior to second H.E.L.P. application and after first and second application (p<.01) could be seen. The same phenomenon was observed for RCTT (p<.05).