title: Therapeutic plasma exchange in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome: the 10-year experience of a single center.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has been used for the treatment of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura-hemolytic uremic syndrome (TTP-HUS). We report the 10-year treatment results along with the risk factors analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective analyses were performed on patients who were treated with TPE for TTP-HUS.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Fifty-two patients were included. Secondary causes were identified in 38 patients (73·1%). The others were classified as idiopathic. After a median five sessions of TPE, 26 patients (50·0%) achieved remission. Remission rate in patients with idiopathic and secondary TTP-HUS was 71·4 and 42·1%, respectively. Overall 30-day mortality rate was 34·6% and median overall survival was 5·2 months. Patients with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation-associated TTP-HUS did not respond and had poor overall survival. Males had a lower remission rate than females (P = 0·009).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  TPE was an effective treatment in patients with idiopathic TTP-HUS. Treatment results were various according to etiology and gender.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, the Ilchun Molecular Research Center, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Inho
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Kook-Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Sung-Soo
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Myoung-Don
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Yeong Wook
authors.initials: YW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Dae Seog
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Heo
authors.forename: Yung-Jue
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Bang
authors.forename: Kyou-Sup
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Jin Suk
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Han
authors.forename: Seonyang
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Byoung Kook
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006463:Hemolytic-Uremic Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000209:etiology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D015996:Survival Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult