Plasmapheresis and lymphoplasmapheresis in the management of rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract

We have demonstrated the efficacy of therapeutic pheresis in a number of rheumatic diseases, especially rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Ten of 12 patients with RA went into remissions averaging 4 months. These patients were pheresed 20 times over 11 weeks in a tapering fashion on a Haemonetics Model 30 Blood Processor. Clinical remissions were sustained even though serologies, immunoglobulins, immune functions, sedimentation rates, and circulating immune complexes returned to their pre‐pheresis baseline by pheresis number 20. All these patients were taking gold or D‐penicillamine concurrently, but neither of the 2 patients who failed to respond was on these agents. Plasmapheresis was just as effective as lymphoplasmapheresis. It is theorized that removal of a plasma factor that modulates lymphocyte or neutrophil function produces remissions in RA and that long‐acting drugs (e.g., gold or penicillamine) are able to prevent its continued production and produce a sustained remission.