Sepsis is an inflammatory syndrome with high mortality rates and increasing incidence. Sepsis-induced immunoparalysis, increasingly recognized as the overriding immune disorder in sepsis patients, attributes significantly to late mortality in sepsis patients.~The investigators hypothesize that 'blood purification' techniques targeted at the removal of excess circulating cytokines, such as the CytoSorb hemoperfusion device, might prevent or attenuate the development of immunoparalysis.~The objective of this trial is to determine the effects of CytoSorb hemoperfusion on the development of immunoparalysis in a repeated experimental endotoxemia model in healthy male volunteers.~To this end, 24 healthy male volunteers subjects will be randomized in a 1:1 fashion into one of two treatment groups (active or control). Both study groups will undergo two endotoxin challenges, separated by seven days. To this end, endotoxin (LPS) will be administered as a bolus of 1 ng/kg, followed by continuous infusion of 0.5 ng/kg/hr for three hours. The active group will be treated with CytoSorb hemoperfusion during the first endotoxin challenge, whereas the control group will receive no additional treatment. During both endotoxin challenges, blood samples will be obtained serially to measure levels of circulating cytokines and other inflammatory mediators.
In this randomized, open-label study, the investigators will assess whether CytoSorb hemoperfusion will prevent or attenuate the development of immunoparalysis in healthy volunteers undergoing repeated experimental endotoxemia.