Does lupus nephritis require plasma exchange?
Disease description:
The doctor said my lupus nephritis is relatively severe and mentioned that plasmapheresis could be performed. I would like to ask, is plasmapheresis necessary for lupus nephritis?
Doctor's answer (1)
Dr. Liu Aihua
Plasmapheresis is a procedure in which a patient's blood is separated using a centrifugal membrane, and the cellular components are separated from the plasma or its components. The plasma or its abnormal components are then replaced with an appropriate volume of replacement fluid, after which the cellular components are returned to the patient's body. Plasmapheresis reduces abnormal substances in the plasma, including removing soluble immune complexes, various autoantibodies, and other immunologically active substances, thereby achieving blood purification. Plasmapheresis can be used to treat systemic lupus erythematosus by rapidly eliminating certain autoantibodies, reducing their pathogenic effects, and thus alleviating the disease condition.
