Lymphapheresis in rheumatoid arthritis. the clinical and laboratory effects of a limited course of cell depletion
Yeadon, C.; Karsh, J.
Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology 1(2): 119-124
1983
ISSN/ISBN: 0392-856X PMID: 6241854 Document Number: 208516
Five patients with active rheumatoid arthritis refractory to conventional therapy were treated with a limited course of lymphapheresis--6 procedures during a two week in-hospital stay. Statistically significant improvements in assessments of rheumatoid activity were apparent by 2 weeks following lymphapheresis and persisted for 10-12 weeks. An average of 2.08 X 10(10) lymphocytes were removed from the patients and lymphopenia appeared in the 4 in whom the average daily rate of removal exceeded 1 X 10(9). However, the results of laboratory testing indicate that immuno-suppression, as based on evaluations of skin test reactivity to delayed hypersensitivity antigens and on the proportion of T cells following lymphapheresis, was not required for therapy to be deemed effective.