title: Photopheresis and autoimmune diseases.
abstract: Although several case reports and case series suggest efficacy for photopheresis in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, few controlled studies have been conducted to test this hypothesis. After a decade of interest, multiple case reports, open trials, and one controlled study, the role of photopheresis in autoimmune disease remains to be established. Controlled multi-center trials in rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, and scleroderma may be costly but are clearly necessary for proper evaluation of this therapy.
authors.affiliation: Division of Rheumatology, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan, USA. mmayes@oncgate.roc.wayne.edu
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Mayes
mesh_terms: D001327:Autoimmune Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D000529:Complementary Therapies; D006801:Humans; D017893:Photopheresis