Continuous enrichment of albumin in relation to globulins in plasma.

This in vitro study deals with the problem of continuous separation of albumin from globulins in patient's plasma and reinfusion of the useful components of the plasma to the patient as the substitution fluid during a plasma exchange (PE) treatment. A cascade filtration system is developed to generate continuously two plasma fractions, one rich in globulins and the other rich in albumins, using two filters (H1P100 filter with a molecular weight cutoff 100,000 and Diafilter 20 with a molecular weight cutoff 30,000). For example, the system is able to increase the albumin/globulin ratio of plasma from 0.42 to 1.98, and the albumin concentration in the secondary plasma fraction is about seven times higher than that in the primary plasma fraction. This system is expected to be clinically useful in eliminating the side effects inherent in the usage of any other substitution fluid during a PE treatment.