[Clinical study of double filtration plasmapheresis for treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis].
OBJECTIVE
To assess the therapeutic effect, timing of administration, complication prevention and management of the double filtration plasmapheresis (DFP) in the treatment of refractory myasthenia gravis (MG).


METHODS
Thirty-one patients with refractory MG were treated with KM 8800 membrane plasmapheresis monitor. DFP was performed every 3 days and the exchanging liquid was composed of 50 ml of 20% albumen and 1000 ml plasma substitute. Physical examination for absolute clinical score and blood sample was collected for AchR-Ab determination early in the morning on days 0, 3, 7, 14 of DFP.


RESULTS
With a total effective rate of 91.9%, complete recovery, basic recovery, improvement, and response was achieved in 2, 4, 11, and 17 patients, respectively, whereas the other 3 failed to respond. Hypotension occurred twice in 2 cases and was corrected after symptomatic treatment.


CONCLUSIONS
DFP may effectively lower blood AchR-Ab level of with minimal complications, and can be valuable for treatment of refractory MG.
Huo
Jiang-tao
JT
Department of Neurology, Tongji Hospital affiliated to Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China. hjthello@yahoo.com.cn
Long
Hai-li
HL
Luo
Xiang
X
Xu
Jin-zhi
JZ
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001323:Autoantibodies / Q000097:blood; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005374:Filtration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009157:Myasthenia Gravis / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000379:methods*; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic / Q000276:immunology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D001323:Autoantibodies; D011950:Receptors, Cholinergic