Effect of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration on T lymphocytes and monocytes activation in critically ill patients in sepsis

Abstract

Elimination methods can improve the prognosis of critically ill patients in sepsis. With respect to that, higher activation of monocytes during plasmapheresis could possibly play a role (increase of HLA-DR+ monocytes in peripheral blood).

We observed a decrease of T lymphocyte activation in 19 patients after 24 hours of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration - CVVH (p < 0,01). On the third day of CVVH this activation returned to the levels before initiating of the elimination method.

Trend of monocyte activation followed the same course; however, it did not reach statistical significance. The observed changes in the activation direct an attention to possible immunomodulatory effects of this elimination method.