Antibiotics and Other Drugs Removal by the CytoSorb® Haemoadsorber: A Systematic Review of Available Evidence
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Haemoadsorption has recently emerged as an extracorporeal treatment option for sepsis, septic shock, intoxications, and cardiac surgery to modulate dysregulated inflammatory responses or remove a wide range of circulating molecules. To ensure appropriate clinical use of the CytoSorb® haemoadsorber, it is essential to understand the extent to which specific drugs are adsorbed by the device. Methods: We conducted a systematic literature review using the PubMed and Ovid MEDLINE database to identify studies on drug binding to the CytoSorb® haemoadsorber, including both in vivo and in vitro studies. Publications in English language, available up to 31 December 2025 that reported or enabled calculation of percentage of drug removal, CytoSorb® clearance or half-life during CytoSorb® therapy were included. Records were screened, eligibility and quality were assessed, and data were extracted independently by two reviewers. Results: We found that 26 studies reported on the binding of 56 drugs to CytoSorb®, with most available information relating to antibiotics used in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock. CytoSorb® appears to remove vancomycin and linezolid but not meropenem, although data for other antibiotics are insufficient to assess clinical relevance. Data on the removal of anticoagulant and antithrombotic drugs with CytoSorb® before and during cardiac surgery indicate that using this procedure to reduce complications associated with apixaban and…
How strong is the evidence?
Evidence Hub reads this as a systematic review. Its evidence level is 1 of 5 (Highest · pooled evidence). Pooled evidence from several studies sits at the top of the evidence pyramid.
Read the paper
Related studies
- Pharmacokinetic aspects of retinal drug delivery
- A standardised method for interpreting the association between mutations and phenotypic drug resistance in Mycobacterium tuberculosis
- From Therapeutic Drug Monitoring to Model‐Informed Precision Dosing for Antibiotics
- Capsaicin, a novel inhibitor of the NorA efflux pump, reduces the intracellular invasion of Staphylococcus aureus
- In Vitro Pharmacodynamic Evaluation of the Mutant Selection Window Hypothesis Using Four Fluoroquinolones against Staphylococcus aureus
- Discovery of Potent, Selective Multidrug and Toxin Extrusion Transporter 1 (MATE1, SLC47A1) Inhibitors Through Prescription Drug Profiling and Computational Modeling
Go deeper in Evidence Hub
Evidence Hub adds a study data sheet (design, sample size, evidence level, key numbers), an AI summary and a chat grounded in the paper's text.