title: [Plasmapheresis therapy in systemic sclerosis].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a polysystemic autoimmune disorder characterized by excessive production of extracellular matrix and vascular abnormalities, involving the skin and internal organs. There is currently no real disease-modifying therapy of SSc and there are only few reports on the use of plasmapheresis in SSc.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Authors present 4 cases of SSc treated with plasmapheresis within one year from disease onset. All patients had diffuse cutaneous form of SSc with rapid progression and with different internal organ manifestations.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were treated with plasmapheresis performed every 3 months besides symptomatic drug treatment. Clinical symptoms, Rodnan skin score, immunolaboratory markers (serum immunoglobulin, complement, several autoantibodies, leukocyte CD markers) and soluble adhesion molecules (E-selectin, intercellular adhesion molecule 1, vascular cell adhesion molecule, which were showed as the markers of disease activity in previous works) were determined before and after the plasmapheresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The progression of the disease slowed down significantly in all patients, no more new clinical manifestation appeared, Rodnan skin score significantly decreased. There was a reduction in CD4/CD8 ratio (approaching normal ratio), in expression of CD69, as early activation marker. There was a significant suppression of soluble adhesion molecules also in all patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In patients with diffuse cutaneous form of SSc, plasmapheresis may be effective with decreasing progression of the disease and improving clinical symptoms (especially skin manifestation) in the early phase of the disease.
authors.affiliation: Debreceni Egyetem, Orvos- és Egészségtudományi Centrum, Altalános Orvostudományi Kar, III. Belgyógyászati Klinika, Reumatológia Tanszek, Immunológiai Tanszek.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Szúcs
authors.forename: Szilvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Szamosi
authors.forename: Magdolna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aleksza
authors.forename: Katalin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Veres
authors.forename: Pál
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Soltész
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010956:Plasmapheresis; D045743:Scleroderma, Diffuse / Q000628:therapy; D012595:Scleroderma, Systemic / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012867:Skin / Q000473:pathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome