In vitro Assessment of Drug Adsorption Profiles during Hemoadsorption Therapy

The use of hemoadsorption devices is increasingly gaining impact as an adjunct therapy for various critical conditions in ICU patients, including systemic hyperinflammation, cytokine release syndrome, sepsis, and more. A key concern in this therapy is its impact on the plasma levels of concurrently administered drugs, which could potentially be reduced to subtherapeutic levels, affecting patient care. The present study investigates the adsorption behavior of various drugs in an in vitro hemoadsorption model using human whole blood, aiming to provide insights for optimizing drug dosing during hemoadsorption therapy.

The study assessed the removal rates and clearances of several drugs, namely, apixaban, argatroban, carbamazepine, oxcarbazepine, lamotrigine, phenytoin, valproate, levosimendan, methylene blue, and metformin, by circulating the blood through CytoSorb adsorbers in an in vitro setup.

Significant removal (75 to 100% of the initial concentration) and high initial plasma clearances (approximately 10-25 mL/min) were observed for most of the tested drugs within the first 30-60 min of recirculation. Lower removal rates and clearances were noted for valproate (approximately 40% and 5 mL/min) and metformin (approximately 15% and 1 mL/min).

The findings indicate considerable differences in the adsorption of the tested drugs and should be confirmed by additional in vivo studies with careful monitoring of drug levels throughout the course of therapy. Understanding the in vivo dynamics is crucial for adjusting dosages appropriately during hemoadsorption use to ensure therapeutic efficacy and patient safety.