Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Standardized Hemorrhagic Shock Induction Guided by Cerebral Oximetry and Extended Hemodynamic Monitoring in Pigs
Published on: May 21, 2019
Ineffectiveness of hemoadsorption in large animals with abdominal sepsis: a randomized controlled porcine study
Vaclav Tegl1,2,3, Jan Horak1,4, Lukas Nalos1,5,6
1Laboratory of Experimental Intensive Care Medicine, Biomedical Center, Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, Alej Svobody 1655/76, 323 00, Pilsen, Czech Republic.
Objectives:
The use of hemoadsorption (HA) has become popular in the treatment of vasoplegic states associated with massive cytokine release, including septic shock. However, this approach does not seem to be based on robust evidence, and it does not follow international guidelines. To understand the pathophysiological rationale and timing of HA, we conducted a large animal septic shock experiment.
Design:
Prospective randomized large-animal peritoneal septic shock experiment.
Setting:
Laboratory investigation.
Subjects:
Twenty-six anesthetized, mechanically ventilated, and instrumented pigs randomly assigned into (1) sham-operated group with HA (SHAM, n = 5); (2) sepsis animals without HA (SEPSIS, n = 5); (3) sepsis group with HA at norepinephrine initiation (EARLY, n = 8); and (4) sepsis group with HA initiated at norepinephrine rate reaching 0.5 μg/kg/min (LATE, n = 8).
Interventions:
Peritoneal sepsis was induced by cultivated autologous feces inoculation. A CytoSorb cartridge (200 g) with a blood flow rate of 200 mL/min and heparin anticoagulation was used to perform HA. The animals received sedation and intensive organ support up to 48 h or until they experienced cardiovascular collapse.
Measurements And Main Results:
Systemic hemodynamics, multiple-organ functions, and immune-inflammatory response were measured at predefined periods. The HA treatment was not associated with any measurable benefit in terms of systemic hemodynamics and organ support. The systemic inflammatory markers were unaffected by any of the treatment timings. In contrast, the HA resulted in higher vasopressor load and decreased 36-h survival (5 animals in SHAM (100%), 4 (80%) in SEPSIS, 4 (57%) in EARLY, and 2 (25%) in LATE; p = 0.041). The HA exposure in healthy animals was associated with hemodynamic deterioration, systemic inflammatory response, and cytopenia.
Conclusions:
In this large-animal-controlled fulminant sepsis study, the HA was unable to counteract the disease progression in the early or advanced septic shock phase. However, findings from the HA-exposed sham animals suggest potential safety concerns.
