Mass transfer in membrane plasma exchange

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Renal Physiology

Background:

• Plasma separation devices are crucial for removing solutes from blood.
• Understanding membrane performance is key to optimizing therapeutic efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine in vitro and in vivo sieving coefficients (SC) for various proteins across three commercial plasma separation devices.
• To develop and validate a model predicting solute removal efficiency based on SC and treatment parameters.

Main Methods:

• Measured sieving coefficients for proteins (albumin to beta-lipoprotein) using Plasmaflo 0.1, Plasmaflo 02, and Plasmaflux devices.
• Utilized a mathematical model incorporating pretherapy levels, plasma volume, filtration rate, SC, and treatment duration.
• Compared model predictions with clinically observed reductions in serum solute levels.

Main Results:

• All three plasma separators demonstrated comparable therapeutic capabilities.
• The developed model accurately predicted clinical outcomes, validating its utility.
• Prolonged treatment durations were found to decrease removal effectiveness and increase cost per unit of solute removed.

Conclusions:

• Plasma separation devices Plasmaflo 0.1, Plasmaflo 02, and Plasmaflux offer similar clinical performance.
• Treatment duration significantly impacts the cost-effectiveness and efficiency of plasma separation therapy.
• The predictive model provides valuable insights for optimizing plasma separation protocols.