Repeated plasma therapy induces fatal shock in experimental septicemia

Plasma therapy in severe septicemia, either as part of plasma exchange or alone, was evaluated in a model of lethal septic shock induced with live Escherichia coli in pigs. The following groups were studied: group I, septic animals treated with repeated plasma exchanges, n = 8; group II, nontreated septic controls, n = 8; group III, septic animals treated with repeated plasma infusions, n = 14; and group IV, nonseptic animals treated with repeated plasma infusions, n = 7. In the septic animals treated with plasma (groups I and III), a rapid fatal response was observed between 2 and 5 min after the start of plasma therapy, while the septic controls (group II) showed a progressively longer lasting septic shock. The nonseptic animals (group IV) were unaffected by the plasma infusions. Plasma levels of endotoxin above 2 ng/ml were associated with rapid death during plasma therapy. Ionized Ca2+ fell abruptly in this situation. This study indicates that commonly used plasma therapies (exchanges or transfusions) in septic animals may have acute deleterious effects. These effects may be explained by depletion of ionized calcium.