Inflammatory and Coagulation Marker Changes in PMX-DHP-Treated COVID-19 Patients

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Nephrology
• Immunology

Background:

• COVID-19 can cause severe respiratory distress and systemic inflammation.
• Polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column direct hemoperfusion (PMX-DHP) is used to remove endotoxins and inflammatory mediators.
• The impact of PMX-DHP on specific biomarkers in COVID-19 patients requires further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of PMX-DHP in improving respiratory function in COVID-19 patients.
• To assess the changes in cytokine levels, coagulation factors, and microbiota-derived peptides following PMX-DHP treatment.
• To analyze the time course of these biomarker alterations during the treatment period.

Main Methods:

• A multicenter, prospective, single-arm interventional study.
• 21 oxygen-requiring COVID-19 patients were enrolled.
• Analysis of PaO2/FiO2 ratio and various biomarkers on days 1, 4, and 15 of PMX-DHP treatment.

Main Results:

• Significant improvement in the PaO2/FiO2 ratio was observed on Day 4 and Day 15.
• Decreased levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-8 and IL-10 were noted.
• Modulation of coagulation markers, including increased thrombomodulin and decreased tissue plasminogen activator-plasminogen activator-1, was observed.
• Significant reduction in microbiota-derived corisin levels was evident on Day 4 and Day 15.

Conclusions:

• PMX-DHP treatment led to improved respiratory function in COVID-19 patients.
• The therapy effectively modulated key inflammatory and coagulation biomarkers.
• PMX-DHP demonstrated a positive impact on the studied biomarkers, suggesting its potential therapeutic role in managing severe COVID-19.