CLinical Efficacy of Hemoperfusion With a Cytokine Adsorber in Norepinephrine-Resistant SEptic Shock

Sepsis and septic shock are major causes of ICU admission worldwide. Despite recent advances in treatment, including targeted resuscitation and timely use of antimicrobial agents, mortality of ICU patients with septic shock remains steadily high. Especially in those requiring high dosage of vasopressors, whose 28-day mortality rate could reach 60%.

The pathophysiology of septic shock emphasizes on the role of dysregulated host immune response towards inciting microbes, producing excessive inflammatory cytokines which lead to tissue damage and subsequent organ failures. Multiple therapies targeting the overwhelming inflammatory response in patients with septic shock have been studied (ref). While some showed promising results in modulating inflammation in observational studies (ref), none other than systemic corticosteroids lead to better clinical outcomes in the randomized controlled studies. The reasons for their failures are the complexity of the inflammation cascades, where treatments specifically targeting parts of the process may not be able to achieve meaningful effects.

Extracorporeal blood purification therapy is an adjunctive treatment option more extensively studied over the last decade. By passing patients' blood or plasma through specifically developed absorber, various inflammatory cytokines are absorbed to resins inside the devices and removed from the circulation. Decreasing levels of inflammatory cytokines may subsequently attenuate systemic inflammation leading to shock reversal and better survival.

HA-330 disposable hemoperfusion cartridge (Jafron®, China) is an absorber targeting hyper-inflammatory states including septic shock. It is designed to nonspecifically absorb molecules with molecular weight 10-60 kilo-Dalton, making it effective for removing various pro-inflammatory cytokines and potentially modulating the inflammatory cascade.

Previous randomized study in patients with sepsis compared between the add-on 3 daily session of hemoperfusion with HA-330 adsorber and the standard therapy . .Circulating interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 levels of patients underwent hemoperfusion significantly reduced after two sessions when compared to baseline. Their values on day 3 were also significantly lower than those of the control group. Adjunctive hemoperfusion were associated with lower ICU mortality, butno significant difference in hospital and 28-day mortality between the two groups(ref). However, approximately 50% of enrolled patients had sepsis without shock. Generalization of the findings to more severe cohorts of septic shock patients are therefore limited.

Patients with septic shock have higher cytokines level than septic patients without shock. Hence, they are theoretically more likely to benefit from therapies aiming to reduce cytokine levels. We hypothesize that adjunctive hemoperfusion with HA-330 adsorber would be associated with better outcomes in a more severe group of patients with septic shock.