Effect of blood cooling on cuprophan-induced anaphylatoxin generation

Effect of blood cooling on cuprophan-induced anaphylatoxin generation. We investigated whether cooling of the extracorporeal blood during hemodialysis could prevent anaphylatoxin generation and leukopenia caused by blood-cuprophan contact. After preliminary in vitro studies confirming the temperature dependence of C5a generation, we carried out hypothermic dialysis on nine patients by manipulating blood and dialysate temperature in such a way that blood temperature within the dialyzer averaged 25°C. In comparison with the control procedure (blood temperature within the dialyzer 35°C) hypothermic dialysis reduced peak C5a generation from 41.7 ± 17 ng/ml to 9.7 ± 3.4 ng/ml (P < 0.01), and white blood cell fall from 72 ± 15 to 25 ± 20% (P < 0.01). Arterial PO2 decreased less in hypothermic dialysis (-19 ± 9% of pre-HD value) than in the control procedure (-30 ± 11%) (P < 0.05). We conclude that blood cooling attenuates cuprophan-induced anaphylatoxin generation and leukopenia.