Heart transplant rejection treated with plasmapheresis.
The vascular element of a mixed type of rejection after orthotopic heart transplantation did not respond to steroid therapy in a 30-year-old man. Plasmapheresis was associated with the resolution of the clinical signs of rejection and the microscopic changes of vasculitis in the biopsy specimen. This case suggests that plasmapheresis may be useful in the treatment of acute vascular rejection in heart transplantation.
Partanen
J
J
First Department of Medicine, University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
Nieminen
M S
MS
Krogerus
L
L
Harjula
A L
AL
Mattila
S
S
D000328:Adult; D003586:Cytomegalovirus Infections / Q000150:complications; D006084:Graft Rejection; D016027:Heart Transplantation / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D010956:Plasmapheresis
D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D008775:Methylprednisolone