Application of therapeutic plasma exchange in hematology

Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) was used in 146 patients with hematologic disorders: hyperviscosity syndrome, 74; cryoglobulinemia, 53; porphyria, 9; immune complex disease, 3; cold agglutinin disease, 1; hemolytic uremic syndrome, 1; autoimmune hemolytic anemia, 1; autoimmune thrombocytopenia, 1; autoimmune neutropenia, 1; Clq deficiency, 1; and secondary immunodeficiency, 1. It was shown that TPE applied in patients with hyperviscosity syndrome resulted in rapid reduction of paraprotein concentrations, and normalization or significant decrease of serum viscosity associated with marked clinical improvement (regression of neurologic, renal, hematologic, visual and other disturbances). Application of TPE in patients with cryoglobulinemia resulted in plasma cryoglobulin reduction and clear clinical effects (blood flow improvement, skin ulcer healing, reversal of impaired renal function and disappearance of purpura and other abnormalities). Very good results were obtained in patients with porphyria (decreased sensitivity to sunlight) and also in patients with Clq deficiency. Satisfactory clinical improvement and better laboratory findings were also seen in patients with immune complex disease, autoimmune hemolytic anemia, autoimmune thrombocytopenia and hemolytic uremic syndrome.