title: Plasma exchange in neuroimmunological disorders: Part 1: Rationale and treatment of inflammatory central nervous system disorders.
abstract: Plasma exchange is a well-established therapeutic procedure commonly used in many neurological disorders of autoimmune etiology. It is thought that the beneficial effects of plasma exchange occur through the elimination of pathognomonic inflammatory mediators, including autoantibodies, complement components, and cytokines. In various neurological disorders, randomized controlled studies have demonstrated the efficacy of plasma exchange (eg, in Guillain-Barré syndrome and other forms of immune neuropathies). Although widely used, the potential benefit of plasma exchange in the treatment of multiple sclerosis, myasthenia gravis, and Lambert-Eaton syndrome is less clear.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: Helmar C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Lehmann
authors.forename: Hans-Peter
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hartung
authors.forename: Gerd R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hetzel
authors.forename: Olaf
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Stüve
authors.forename: Bernd C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Kieseier
mesh_terms: D002493:Central Nervous System Diseases / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D015213:Neuroimmunomodulation; D010951:Plasma Exchange