title: Therapeutic Plasma Exchange-Does Age Matter? A Single-Center Study.
abstract: Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) is an extracorporeal blood purification technique designed for the removal of substances with large molecular weight from the plasma. However, it is not commonly performed in children and the elderly because of concern of potential complications. The Department of Nephrology at Zagreb University Hospital Centre's database (8335 procedures, 981 patients) was retrospectively analyzed from 1982 to 2011 to record indications, applications, and safety of TPE use in children (≤18 years), adults (>18 and <65 years), and elderly patients (≥65 years). Indications, blood access, replacement fluid, and anticoagulation during TPE differed among age groups. Significantly more complications were recorded in the youngest and eldest patients compared with the adults (12.2% and 12.7% vs. 9.9%, respectively), while the severity of complications did not differ significantly among the age groups. Our results indicate that TPE may be performed relatively safely in all age groups when the patients' differences are acknowledged prior to prescribing the procedure.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Nephrology, Arterial Hypertension, Dialysis and Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Bruna
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Brunetta Gavranić
authors.affiliation: Departments of Nephrology, Arterial Hypertension, Dialysis and Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Nikolina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bašić-Jukić
authors.affiliation: Departments of Nephrology, Arterial Hypertension, Dialysis and Transplantation, Department of Internal Medicine, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Petar
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D017523:Croatia; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010951:Plasma Exchange / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Age; Anticoagulant; Complication; Indication; Therapeutic plasma exchange