Can immunoadsorption plasmapheresis be used as the first choice therapy for neuroimmunological disorders?

The subjects were 31 patients in whom immunoadsorption plasmapheresis (IAPP) was performed as the first choice therapy for primary or recurrent neuroimmunological disorders. The clinical manifestations before and after IAPP and the use of corticosteroids were investigated in the present study. IAPP was clinically effective in all patients. The corticosteroids (CSs) administration was begun or CSs were increased after completion of IAPP in 11 patients. IAPP was performed as the first choice therapy, and favorable results were obtained in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome and Miller-Fisher syndrome. IAPP alone was also effective in a patient with lupoid sclerosis. When IAPP was used alone in 2 patients with chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy, it completely eliminated the clinical manifestations, but the symptoms recurred about 2 months later. Therefore, although IAPP could be performed as the first choice therapy for many neuroimmunological disorders, subsequent therapies should be carefully investigated.