[Human Albumin Grifols 5% in plasmapheresis: a new therapy involving beta-amyloid
mobilisation in Alzheimer's disease]. [Article in Spanish]
Author(s): Boada-Rovira M.
Affiliation(s): Fundacio ACE. Institut Catala de Neurociencies Aplicades, 08014 Barcelona,
Espana. mboada@fundacioace.com
Publication date & source: 2010, Rev Neurol. , 50 Suppl 5:S9-18
INTRODUCTION AND AIMS: Results from a pilot study and its 2-year extension
(IG0502) performed on patients with mild or moderate Alzheimer's disease revealed
a tendency towards clinical stabilization after a plasmapheresis program with
plasma exchange with therapeutic albumin Human Albumin Grifols 5%. Plasma levels
of Alphabeta(40) and Alphabeta(42) presented a saw-tooth pattern associated to
plasma exchanges. These findings encouraged a new randomized, controlled,
parallel, blind study (IG0602) to confirm our previous working hypotheses, i.e.
that Alphabeta(40) and Alphabeta(42) concentrations in plasma were modified pre-
and post plasmapheresis with Human Albumin Grifols 5% and, in the clinical area,
that the cognitive capabilities of patients could be stabilized or even improved.
Other aims of the study were focused on neuroimaging evaluation of structural and
functional changes in the brain the by means of magnetic resonance and
single-photon emission computerised tomography.
RESULTS: Preliminary results from the randomized study carried out after a
follow-up of one year of the first 29 patients (80% of the recruited) show a
clear difference between the treated and the control groups with regard to the
levels of Alphabeta(40), both in plasma and in cerebrospinal fluid, that are
associated with the plasma exchanges. This pattern is not so evident for
Alphabeta(42). Regarding cognitive performance, the treated group scored better
than the control group after the period study, according to the evaluation
performed by using the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and Alzheimer's
Disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-Cog) tests.
CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary results suggest that plasmapheresis with plasma
exchange with Human Albumin Grifols 5% may have a promising future as a treatment
of mild-moderate Alzheimer's disease.
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