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The AMBAR trial studied the effects of plasma exchange (PE) on clinical laboratory parameters in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. In this trial, 322 AD patients received six weeks of intensive therapeutic PE (TPE), followed by 12 months of monthly low-volume PE (LVPE). Patients were divided into groups receiving sham PE (placebo), low-dose albumin, low-dose albumin with IVIG, and high-dose albumin with IVIG.

Key findings included:

• TPE caused temporary increases in coagulation parameters and decreases in blood calcium, platelets, and albumin levels, though these remained within normal ranges.
• Leukocyte counts increased, while fibrinogen, hemoglobin, total protein, gamma globulin, and IgG dropped briefly below normal but stabilized afterward.
• A persistent low gamma globulin level (7.2 g/L) was noted before each TPE.
• During the LVPE period, these changes were minimal or absent, and cerebrospinal fluid parameters and vital signs remained stable.

The study concluded that TPE affects lab parameters in AD patients similarly to other conditions treated with PE, with less impact observed during LVPE.