title: Twenty-six years of plasma exchange for symptomatic treatment of pruritus in primary biliary cirrhosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the efficacy of plasma exchange in primary biliary cirrhosis resistant to pharmacological treatment of pruritus.
  
  
  METHODS
  Review of medical records and scientific literature of plasma exchange and pruritus in primary biliary cirrhosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma exchange 2-3 times a month maintained pruritus at a subjectively acceptable level and at the same time preserved satisfactory liver function. In total more than 1000 plasma exchanges were given over these 26 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  During these years the patient has been able to continue employment in spite of time consuming regular visits to an apheresis unit. She is now retired. The alternative was a liver transplant which was avoided. Although our patient is a unique case, plasma exchange should be considered in severe pruritus resistant to pharmacological treatment.
authors.affiliation: Örebro University Hospital, Dept Transfusion Medicine, SE 701 85 Örebro, Sweden. Electronic address: clasgoran.axelsson@vll.se.
authors.forename: Clas-Göran
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Axelsson
authors.forename: Dan-Axel
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Hallbäck
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008105:Liver Cirrhosis, Biliary / Q000097:blood / Q000628:therapy*; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D011537:Pruritus / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
keywords: Plasma exchange; Primary biliary cirrhosis; Pruritus