Hemofiltration in severe high microvascular permeability pulmonary edema secondary to rickettsial spotted fever

Two patients, affected by spotted fever, developed low pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) pulmonary edema with severe hypoxemia. Conventional specific and supportive therapy, including mechanical ventilation, failed to induce significant respiratory and hemodynamic improvement which was dramatically reached by means of hemofiltration. Removal of circulating middle molecular weight peptides by the convective mass transfer, characteristic of hemofiltration, offers a new and effective therapeutic approach for the adult respiratory distress syndrome secondary to rickettsial diseases.