Abstract
To the Editor: Lewis and colleagues (May 21 issue)1 compared treatment of lupus nephritis with plasmapheresis plus an eight-week standard regimen of prednisone and cyclophosphamide with treatment with the standard regimen alone. They concluded that plasmapheresis cannot be recommended for patients with severe lupus nephritis. We consider this conclusion to be premature, in view of the design of the study. The aim of plasmapheresis is to eliminate pathogenic antibodies and circulating immune complexes. It has repeatedly been shown that plasmapheresis without concomitant immunosuppression induces a compensatory increase in the synthesis of autoantibodies and immune complexes.2 This is preceded by increased…
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1028-1030 |
Number of pages | 3 |
Journal | New England Journal of Medicine |
Volume | 327 |
Issue number | 14 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Oct 1 1992 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Medicine