Therapeutic apheresis: results from a single center in Turkey.
BACKGROUND
Therapeutic apheresis (TA) is carried out for a broad spectrum of diseases and syndromes.


OBJECTIVE
We retrospectively evaluated the results of therapeutic apheresis (TA) including plasma exchange, therapeutic plateletpheresis, and leukapheresis during 2000-2006.


METHODS
A total of 195 procedures were performed in 44 patients (25 male and 19 female, with a mean age of 52+/-15 years). These procedures consist of 165 plasma exchanges, 20 therapeutic plateletpheresis, and 10 leukapheresis. The most common indications were hematological, neurological, and metabolic diseases. Eighty-three percent of plasma exchange, 100% of plateletpheresis and leukapheresis belonged to indication Category I or II, according to the guidelines of the American Society for Apheresis.


RESULTS
While hemoglobin levels significantly increased (p<0.05), platelet counts decreased (p<0.005) after plasma exchange. Hematological parameters did not statistically change significantly with leukapheresis (p>0.05). Platelet counts significantly decreased with plateletpheresis (p<0.001). Total complications were detected in 21% of the procedures. Adverse events (AE) were seen in 17% of the procedures. None of the patients died (Grade-IV) from any complication. AEs occurred in 14% (Grade-I), 1% (Grade-II), and 2% (Grade-III) of the procedures. The most common AEs were nausea/vomiting, hypotension, and abdominal pain.


CONCLUSIONS
TA, an important procedure in Transfusion Medicine, is safely carried out in our center in several hematological, neurological, and metabolic diseases which are similar to previous reports.
Yavasoglu
Irfan
I
Adnan Menderes University Medical Faculty, Divisions of Hematology, 09100 Aydin, Turkey. dr_yavas@yahoo.com
Kadikoylu
Gurhan
G
Akyol
Ali
A
Bolaman
Zahit
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001781:Blood Component Removal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007937:Leukapheresis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010951:Plasma Exchange; D010976:Platelet Count; D010983:Plateletpheresis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014421:Turkey
D006454:Hemoglobins