Therapeutic Plasma Exchange in Intensive Care Units-A 5-Year Multicenter Retrospective Study.

Area of Science:

• Critical Care Medicine
• Nephrology
• Immunology

Background:

• Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is an extracorporeal procedure used to remove harmful substances like immunoglobulins and pro-inflammatory factors from plasma.
• While TPE is employed in intensive care units (ICUs) for various diseases, its associated complications and treatment outcomes require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the clinical outcomes of TPE procedures.
• To identify risk factors associated with TPE complications in ICU patients.

Main Methods:

• A multi-center, retrospective, 5-year cohort study was conducted.
• Data from 56 adult ICU patients who underwent TPE at three hospitals were analyzed.

Main Results:

• APACHE II and SOFA scores were identified as predictors of prolonged length of stay (p=0.043 and p=0.046, respectively).
• SOFA score predicted hospital-acquired infections (HAI) (p=0.011).
• Age, SOFA, and APACHE II scores independently predicted the development of shock as a TPE complication (p=0.011, p=0.011, and p=0.032, respectively).

Conclusions:

• SOFA and APACHE II scores are significant predictors for hospitalization length and shock occurrence in TPE patients.
• SOFA score also predicts HAI in ICU patients undergoing TPE.