Elimination methods can improve the prognosis of critically ill patients in sepsis. With respect to that, higher activation of monocytes during plasmapheresis could possibly play a role (increase of HLA-DR+ monocytes in peripheral blood). We observed a decrease of T lymphocyte activation in 19 patients after 24 hours of continuous veno-venous hemofiltration – CVVH (p < 0,01). On the third day of CVVH this activation returned to the levels before initiating of the elimination method. Trend of monocyte activation followed the same course; however, it did not reach statistical significance. The observed changes in the activation direct an attention to possible immunomodulatory effects of this elimination method.

        Key words: CVVH – sepsis – HLA-DR – T cells – monocytes – critically ill