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Two Case Reports of Successful Therapeutic Erythrocytapheresis as an Adjunctive Therapy in Severe Falciparum Malaria
Author(s) -
Chung HaeSun,
Peck Kyong Ran,
Kim DaeWon
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
therapeutic apheresis and dialysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.415
H-Index - 53
eISSN - 1744-9987
pISSN - 1744-9979
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-9987.2009.00754.x
Subject(s) - medicine , parasitemia , malaria , plasmodium falciparum , chemotherapy , emergency department , intensive care medicine , immunology , psychiatry
For many years, erythrocytapheresis has been used for the rapid removal of parasites in patients with severe and complicated malaria. Here, we report two cases of severe Plasmodium falciparum infection treated by erythrocytapheresis in addition to antimalarial chemotherapy. Both patients were referred to the emergency department with high fevers (40°C) after returning from Africa. Peripheral blood smears showed 25.8% and 15% of parasitized erythrocytes, respectively. In both cases, antimalarial chemotherapy was begun and erythrocytapheresis was performed, and dramatic reduction of parasitemia was achieved. Clinical symptoms and laboratory abnormalities were also improved. Erythrocytapheresis in combination with antimalarial chemotherapy would be an effective and rapid approach to treat severe falciparum malaria.