Treatment of sepsis by extracorporeal elimination of endotoxin using polymyxin B-immobilized fiber.

Despite the use of potent antibiotics and intensive supportive care, mortality remains high among septic shock patients, especially those with endotoxemia. To remove endotoxin directly from the blood, a material consisting of polymyxin B that is immobilized on fibers (PMX-F) and that can selectively detoxify endotoxin was developed. In a preliminary clinical study, 16 patients with septic multiple organ failure were treated with direct hemoperfusion using a PMX-F column. This therapy significantly decreased the endotoxin level from 76 pg/mL to 21 pg/mL after 2 hours of direct hemoperfusion. The hyperdynamic state of the cardiac index, which is a characteristic of endotoxic shock, returned to normal levels after treatment. In septic shock patients with a systolic pressure of less than 100 mm Hg, the systolic arterial pressure increased significantly from the pretreatment level. The alleviation of fever caused by this therapy continued until the day after treatment. Of the 16 patients who underwent this therapy, 9 were alive 2 weeks after this therapy and 7 patients were discharged from the hospital alive. Hemoperfusion with PMX may be an effective treatment for sepsis and septic shock.