title: Lymphapheresis in rheumatoid arthritis. The clinical and laboratory effects of a limited course of cell depletion.
abstract: Five patients with active rheumatoid arthritis refractory to conventional therapy were treated with a limited course of lymphapheresis--6 procedures during a two week in-hospital stay. Statistically significant improvements in assessments of rheumatoid activity were apparent by 2 weeks following lymphapheresis and persisted for 10-12 weeks. An average of 2.08 X 10(10) lymphocytes were removed from the patients and lymphopenia appeared in the 4 in whom the average daily rate of removal exceeded 1 X 10(9). However, the results of laboratory testing indicate that immuno-suppression, as based on evaluations of skin test reactivity to delayed hypersensitivity antigens and on the proportion of T cells following lymphapheresis, was not required for therapy to be deemed effective.
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000032:analysis; D007075:Immunoglobulin M / Q000032:analysis; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D007937:Leukapheresis; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects / Q000276:immunology; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D007075:Immunoglobulin M; D011043:Pokeweed Mitogens