Low-density lipoprotein-apheresis in two patients with extremely elevated lipoprotein (a) levels

Two male caucasian patients (36 and 42 years old) with heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia and extremely elevated lipoprotein Lp(a) concentrations, resistant to diet and lipid-lowering drugs, were treated with low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-apheresis for 55 months (liposorber system, Kaneka(R), Japan) and 15 months (immunoadsorption system, special Lp(a) columns, Lipopak(R), Pocard, Russia). Lp(a) dropped on average by 50%, total cholesterol by 27%, LDL-cholesterol by 42%, triglycerides by 43%, and the fibrinogen concentration by 16%. (C) 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.