The effect of plasmapheresis and drug immunosuppression on T-cell subsets as defined by monoclonal antibodies

✍ Scribed by Dr. Dobri D. Kiprov; Peter C. Dau; Paul Morand

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1983
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 562 KB
• Volume: 1
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0733-2459
• DOI: 10.1002/jca.2920010202

✦ Synopsis

The number of total T-cells and the number of helperlinducer T-cells decreased in 27 of 31 patients with immunologic disorders treated with plasmapheresis and drug immunosuppression. The number of suppressor/ cytotoxic T-cells increased in the majority of patients. The helperhnducer to suppressorlcytotoxic cell ratio, which was initially elevated in 26 of 31 patients, decreased significantly in all but 2 patients after therapy. Ten patients were already on drug immunosuppression at the time plasmapheresis was started, and all 10 showed increased helperlinducer to suppressorlcytotoxic cell ratio despite their drug therapy. The helperlinducer to suppressor/ cytotoxic cell ratio decreased in all ten patients after plasma exchange. The number and the percentage of total Tcells and helperhnducer cells decreased from prepheresis levels while the number and the percentage of suppressor/ cytotoxic cells increased. Plasmapheresis, in combination with drug immunosuppression, was effective in decreasing the elevated helperhducer to suppressorlcytotoxic cell ratio in disorders of the immune system. In contrast, patients on immunosuppressive drug therapy alone had persistently high immunoregulatory ratio.