Cryosupernatant plasma exchange in the treatment of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome with lupus nephritis

Ther Apher. 1998 Aug;2(3):236-9. doi: 10.1111/j.1744-9987.1998.tb00110.x.

Abstract

We report a case of a 22-year-old female with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in whom cryosupernatant plasma exchange was effective and improved both the refractory venous thrombosis in her legs and relapsing thrombocytopenia. A renal biopsy specimen showed not only features of active lupus nephritis but also renal arteriolar thrombosis which is considered to be a type of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA). Because a pathological role of unusually large von Willebrand factor (vWF) multimers has been reported in patients with TMA including thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura, plasma exchange using replacement with cryosupernatant, which is free of unusually large vWF multimers, is likely to be an option of treatment modality for patients with refractory and chronic relapsing APS manifesting TMA.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiphospholipid Syndrome / complications
  • Antiphospholipid Syndrome / therapy*
  • Arterioles / pathology
  • Cryotherapy
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Kidney Diseases / complications
  • Kidney Diseases / pathology
  • Leg / blood supply
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / complications
  • Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic / therapy
  • Lupus Nephritis / complications
  • Lupus Nephritis / therapy*
  • Plasma Exchange / methods*
  • Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / complications
  • Purpura, Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic / therapy
  • Recurrence
  • Thrombocytopenia / complications
  • Thrombocytopenia / therapy
  • Thrombosis / complications
  • Thrombosis / pathology
  • Venous Thrombosis / complications
  • Venous Thrombosis / therapy
  • von Willebrand Factor / analysis

Substances

  • von Willebrand Factor