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Double Filtration Plasmapheresis for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Study of 21 Cases
Author(s) -
Liu JingDuo,
Zhang Chunjing,
Li WeiSheng,
Lun LiDe
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
artificial organs
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.684
H-Index - 76
eISSN - 1525-1594
pISSN - 0160-564X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1525-1594.1997.tb00344.x
Subject(s) - medicine , rheumatoid arthritis , plasmapheresis , prednisone , arthritis , surgery , immunology , antibody
The treatment of rheumatoid arthritis remains difficult and often controversial. Plasma exchange has been advocated in some cases. In the present study 71 sessions of double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) were performed in 21 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in an average of 3.7 ± 1.1 sessions per patient within 1–2 weeks. Seven patients had received prednisone, and all the patients had received nonsteroid anti‐inflammatory drugs with poor results. Although after the DFPP therapy, only 2 patients were still receiving nonsteroid anti‐inflammatory drugs, the function capacities improved in all patients. Five out of 8 positive rheumatoid factors became negative for the group. These results suggest that DFPP could be a regular therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.