title: Therapeutic plasma exchange in paediatric SLE: a case series from India.
abstract: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) has been reported to be a useful adjunct in severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) but paediatric literature continues to be scanty. We hereby present three cases of refractory paediatric SLE (pSLE) with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP), diffuse alveolar haemorrhage (DAH) and crescentic glomerulonephritis which were treated with TPE as an adjunctive therapy. TPE was carried out in haemodialysis units using the membrane filtration technique. Demonstrable benefit of TPE was seen in all three cases. In refractory pSLE, TPE may be a useful tool and should be considered. The report additionally highlights the feasibility of undertaking TPE in haemodialysis units, which is important as haemodialysis units are more readily available than dedicated apheresis units in developing countries.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Prasun Giri
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, Kolkata, India AMRI Hospitals, Kolkata, India rajivsinha_in@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sinha
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.affiliation: AMRI Hospitals, Kolkata, India.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sarkar
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India; D008180:Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D009393:Nephritis / Q000473:pathology*; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000379:methods*; D011697:Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / Q000628:therapy*; D006435:Renal Dialysis
keywords: Nephritis; lupus anticoagulant; systemic lupus erythematosus