[Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis by plasma exchange]

The authors treated 9 patients with rheumatoid arthritis by plasma exchange. In the 5 cases with purely joint involvement, the treatment was not effective, with one exception. In the 4 other cases, with polyneuropathy and vasculitis, plasma exchange resulted in a rapid regression of the symptoms. Thus cases of polyneuropathy and vasculitis due to rheumatoid arthritis are good indications for treatment by plasma exchange.