title: Partial immunologic reconstitution of a patient with acquired agammaglobulinemia: a transient phenomenon accompanying therapeutic plasmapheresis.
abstract: A patient with acquired agammaglobulinemia was treated with plasmapheresis. The rationale for this procedure was based on the presence of a cytotoxic autoantibody with specificity for helper (TH2-) T lymphocytes. Plasmapheresis reduced the autoantibody concentration to undetectable levels, which resulted in an increase number of helper T cells. These T cells provided normal in vitro helper activity. Plasmapheresis did not correct a concomitant suppressor T-cell defect, and the clinical remission ended during the fifth month of exchange therapy.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000361:Agammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D001323:Autoantibodies