Poli EC, et al. - Given that, cytokine removal might improve outcomes of patients undergoing cardiac surgery, researchers assessed whether CytoSorb haemoadsorption (HA) affords an effective option to decrease peri-operative cytokine levels in cardiac surgery. Including 30 patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery and deemed at risk of complications, they carried out this single-centre pilot randomized controlled trial. A total of 15 patients were randomly assigned to standard of care and 15 to CytoSorb HA during cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). Both groups were compared to determine the difference in cytokines levels (IL-1a, IL-1b, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, tumour necrosis factor-alpha, interferon-gamma;, monocyte chemoattractant protein-1) assessed at anaesthesia induction, at the end of CPB, as well as 6 and 24 h post-CPB initiation. Findings revealed the safety as well as the feasibility of CytoSorb HA during CPB but the procedure was not related to a decrease in pro- or anti-inflammatory cytokines nor with an improvement in relevant clinical outcomes.