[Update on leukoreduction therapies as alternatives for the treatment of severe pertussis].

Pertussis is a contagious disease that in patients under 1 year of age may evolve to a highly lethal course characterized by hypoxemia and refractory pulmonary hypertension, being this responsible for cardiovascular collapse. Pulmonary hypertension occurs by direct action of bacteria and its toxins, responsible for the vascular tone alteration associated with hyperviscosity syndrome and arteriolar thrombosis due to hyperleukocytosis. Since 2004, leucodepletion has been proposed as a treatment option; there are currently 18 publications on leucodepletion in patients with severe Pertussis, with a total of 288 patients, 68 cytoreduction procedures and a mortality rate of 28% in those exposed to the mentioned treatment. Published studies have design limitations, so the evidence for using leukoreduction in patients with severe pertussis remains low.