Effects of erythrapheresis on pulmonary haemodynamics and oxygen transport in patients with secondary polycythaemia and cor pulmonale.

Reducing packed cell volume has been advocated as a therapeutic procedure in patients with polycythaemia secondary to hypoxic cor pulmonale. The aim of this investigation was to evaluate the effects of this manoeuvre on resting pulmonary haemodynamics and tissue oxygenation in 12 such patients. The subjects were studied whilst they were breathing air (n = 12), after breathing 35% oxygen for 30 min (n = 11) and breathing air 30 min after isovolaemic reduction in packed cell volume, from 0.61 +/- 0.02 to 0.50 +/- 0.02 (mean +/- SEM), by erythrapheresis (n = 12). Initial values for the group were: PaO2 6.5 +/- 0.3 kPa; red cell mass 152 +/- 12% predicted; mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) 41 +/- 3 mmHg; cardiac index 3.1 +/- 0.31 min-1 m-2. Breathing 35% oxygen reduced PAP by 3.1 +/- 1.0 mmHg (P less than 0.02), cardiac index by 0.28 +/- 0.121 min-1 m-2 (P less than 0.05) and right ventricular stroke work by 0.05 +/- 0.01 J (P less than 0.01). Systemic vascular resistance was unchanged. Systemic oxygen transport increased and peripheral oxygen consumption was unaltered. Erythrapheresis reduced blood viscosity at shear rates 23 S-1 and 230 S-1. PAP fell by 2.4 +/- 1.1 mmHg (P less than 0.05) and cardiac index increased by 0.32 +/- 0.091 min-1 m-2 (P less than 0.01), but right ventricular stroke work was unchanged. Systemic vascular resistance was reduced by 25 +/- 7 kPa S l-1 (P less than 0.01). Systemic oxygen transport decreased but peripheral oxygen consumption was unchanged.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)