A animal model was developed whereby reticulocyte-rich blood was introduced into normal rats by exchange transfusion. Measurements of plasma iron turnover was made at similar plasma iron concentrations before and after exchange transfusions. High reticulocyte blood obtained from animals rendered iron deficient by diet or by treatment with phenylhydrazine resulted in a mean increase of 86% in in...

Background We have reviewed four cases of Kawasaki disease treated with plasma exchange with 5% albumin in electrolyte-balanced solution, according to the recommended guidelines for Kawasaki disease in the intensive care unit, as their responses to intravenous immunoglobulin therapy were poor. Case presentation The four cases were aged between 5 months and 3 years and weighted between 6.4 and...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, a clinical syndrome characterized by thrombocytopenia and microangiopathic haemolytic anaemia, was almost universally fatal until the introduction of plasma exchange therapy in the 1970s. Current outcomes have improved dramatically with the initiation of prompt plasma exchange, a treatment routinely used without any real understanding of wh...

INTRODUCTION Sepsis and septic shock are leading causes of intensive care unit (ICU) mortality. They are characterized by excessive inflammation, upregulation of procoagulant proteins and depletion of natural anticoagulants. Plasma exchange has the potential to improve survival in sepsis by removing inflammatory cytokines and restoring deficient plasma proteins. The objective of this study is t...

Since the introduction of plasma exchange as a treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) patients, treatment related fluctuations have been found to occur in about 10% of the patients. These fluctuations are considered additional evidence of the beneficial effect of plasma exchange. In this report the occurrence of such treatment related fluctuations is described in the 147 patients who took ...

Accidental cisplatin overdose has been occurring with an increasing frequency due to expanding usage of the agent. However, the optimal strategy to treat such patients remains to be established. Here, we report a case of large cisplatin overdose, successfully managed by plasma exchange, intravenous hydration, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) administration, and other supportive car...

A 54-year-old man with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura ( TTP ) who developed sudden cardiac death is described. The clinical presentations of this case were typical including thrombocytopenic purpura, fever, neurologic deficit and renal abnormalities. On admission, plasma exchange was started soon after the diagnosis of TTP was made. Unfortunately, his condition deteriorated and went into a...

Plasma exchange became popular in the treatment of Guillain-Barré syndrome with the publication in 1985 of results by the Guillain-Barré Study Group. Since then we have treated 24 patients referred for plasma exchange. We have audited their outcome and compared this with the results of patients in the treatment arm of the USA Study. Our patients were of comparable age and clinical severity and ...

After plasma containing labeled plasma protein has been given intraperitoneally to dogs with experimental ascites a steady and rather rapid movement takes place of the labeled protein into the circulating blood. When plasma containing labeled plasma protein has been injected intravenously into the ascitic dog the labeled protein steadily disappears from the circulating blood and appears promptl...

Plasma exchange has been proposed as a treatment for multiple disorders. Three patients with amyotropic lateral sclerosis, who were hemostatically normal, were studied through a total of 11 4-liter exchanges. Plasma was replaced by an equal volume of 5% albumin or 5% plasma protein fraction. Serial studies revealed that immediately after the exchange transfusion, there was significant prolongat...