Results of Coupled Plasma Filtration Adsorption (CPFA) Treatment Applied to Critical COVID-19 Patients in Intensive Care Unit

Abstract

Objective: The novel coronavirus, called SARS-CoV-2, causes COVID-19 disease and began a pandemic on a global scale. Uncontrolled cytokine production is observed especially in COVID-19 cases with severe progression and this situation is thought to be one of the causes of more severe disease progression and increased mortality. In our study, we aimed to assess the efficacy of Coupled Plasma Filtration Adsorption (CPFA) treatment in situations with severe disease progression like sepsis, septic shock and multiple organ failure, considered to be secondary to cytokine storm, in COVID-19 disease. Methods: Our study retrospectively screened data from 20 patients admitted to our intensive care unit and administered CPFA. CPFA was administered as 10 hours each session and 2 sessions with 12 hours interval. Results: After our CPFA treatment, there were statistically significant ameliorations in clinical and laboratory findings like SOFA scores, mainly, Horowitz values, fever and IL-6 values. Conclusion: The CPFA treatment removes the uncontrolled production of harmful cytokines/chemokines and toxic substances from the blood and shows promise in the treatment of the cytokine storm that develops in COVID-19 disease.