Double filtration plasmapheresis: Determination of the optimal albumin concentration in the supplementation fluid.

Many kinds of technologies have been introduced and successfully developed for therapeutic apheresis. During the DFPP treatments, the patient's blood volume (BV) often decreases with time due to albumin loss induced by inadequate albumin infusion in a supplementation fluid. We examined the change of BV by a continuous hematocrit (HCT) monitor, CRIT-LINE™, during an in vivo study for nine patients. As a result, albumin loss was fairly occurred in some DFPP treatments. The decrease of patient's BV was induced by an oncotic pressure drop due to albumin loss and often resulted in a blood pressure drop. This is a serious problem for DFPP. We should avoid the patient is suffering from these adverse effects. In order to determine the optimal concentration CS and volume VS values of a supplemented albumin solution, we introduced a variable blood volume model for albumin transport in DFPP.