[Apheresis therapy in Guillain-Barré syndrome]

Based on previous randomized controlled-trials (RCTs), plasma exchange (PE) has been established as an effective treatment for Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) and immunoadsorption plasmapheresis (IAPP) may be effective for GBS, however their effectiveness have not been established because any RCTs have not been available so far. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) has also been established to be effective for GBS according to several RCTs, however complications have been more frequent in PE than IVIG. Therefore IVIg treatment should be considered as the first choice for GBS, and PE treatment remains as the second-line if IVIg treatment is contraindicated.