title: Rheopheresis in vascular diseases.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Endothelial dysfunction is a common condition in many microvascular diseases, such as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) and Peripheral Arterial Occlusive Disease (PAOD). Rheopheresis therapy improves ematic viscosity, shear stress and endothelial function while decreasing fibrinogen, LDL-cholesterol and alpha-2-macroglobulin levels.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of rheopheresis in patients with microcirculatory diseases.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight patients (7 male and 1 female) were treated with rheopheresis: 3 males were affected by AMD, 4 male and 1 female by uremia and PAOD. We used Membrane Differential Filtration (MDF) with an ethinylvinyl alcohol copolymer membrane as plasmafiltrator. Patients with AMD were treated once a week for ten weeks. Patients affected with PAOD were treated twice weekly for 3 weeks and then were placed on a once-a-week program.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In all treated patients with AMD, visual acuity improved. In all patients affected with PAOD, we observed a complete resolution of pain; 3 out of 5 had a complete remission of ulcers. There was partial reduction of ulcers in the other patients and no adverse effects were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rheopheresis is a safe, effective form of hemorheotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Nephrology and Dialysis Unit, Tor Vergata University, Rome, Italy. m.ferrannini@inwind.it
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrannini
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vischini
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Staffolani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Scaccia
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miani
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Parravano
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Louis
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Splendiani
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Di Daniele
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006440:Hemofiltration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008268:Macular Degeneration / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016491:Peripheral Vascular Diseases / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014511:Uremia / Q000628:therapy*