Summary
The nonspecific clearance function of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) in six patients with immune complex mediated systemic vasculitis was determined by the evaluation of the disappearance rate of technetium 99m labelled microaggregated human serum albumin colloid (MHAC) injected IV before and after therapeutic plasma exchange. Three patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and one patient with immune complex vasculitis (ICV) exhibited a significant clinical improvement after plasmapheresis which was paralleled by an accelerated MHAC elimination rate following plasma exchange therapy. One patient with ICV and unresponsive to plasma exchange showed delayed MHAC elimination. In one patient with myasthenia gravis (MG), the elimination rate was not altered by plasmapheresis. The data obtained indicate that nonspecific clearance of the RES may be one effect of plasma exchange therapy in patients with immune complex mediated diseases.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Skoog WA, Adams WS (1959) Plasmapheresis in a case of Waldenstroem's macroglobulinemia. Clin Res 7:96–101
Kalden JR, Schranz W, Lösch G, Krapf F, Bartels O (1982) Neue Indikationsgebiete zur hochdosierten Immunglobulin-therapie: Therapeutischer Plasmaaustausch, Autoimmunopathien. Beitr Infusionsther Klinis Ernähr 9:48–59
Jones JV (1982) Plasmapheresis in SLE. Clin Rheum Dis 8:243–268
Hunziker ThH, Schwarzenbach HR, Krebs A, Nydegger UE, Champonovo F, Hess M (1979) Plasmaaustausch bei Pemphigus vulgaris. Schweiz Med Wochenschr 111:1637–1646
Dandona P, Marshall N, Bidney S, Nathan AW, Harvard CWH (1979) Exophtalmos and pretibial myxoedema not responding to plasmapheresis. Br Med J II:667–679
Dau PC, Kabaleh MB, Sagebiel RW (1981) Plasmapheresis and immunosuppressive drug therapy in sclerodermia. Arthritis Rheum 24:1128–1137
Messner HA, Fanser AA, Curtis JE, Dotten Y (1981) Control of antibody-mediated pure red cell aplasia by plasmapheresis. N Engl J Med 304:1134–1146
Frank MM, Hamburger MI, Lawley TJ, Kimberly RB, Plotz PH (1979) Defective reticuloendothelial system Fc-receptor function in systemic lupus erythematosus. N Engl J Med 300:158–164
Kabbash L, Brandwein S, Esdale J, Danoff D, Fuks A, Shuster J (1982) Reticuloendothelial system Fc receptor function in systemic lupus erythematosus. J Rheumatol 9:374–392
Lockwood CM, Worledge S, Nicholas A, Cotton C, Peters DK (1979) Reversal of impaired splenic function in patients with nephritis or vasculitis (or both) by plasma exchange. N Engl J Med 300:524–530
Schmitz R, Hotze A, Bongers H, Joseph K (1983) Knochenmarksszintigraphie: Erste Ergebnisse mit einem neuen Mikrokolloid. Nuc Compact 14:17–19
Hotze A, Löw A, Mahlstedt J, Wolf F (1983) Bone marrow imaging in addition to bone scan. Third International Symposium on Radiopharmacology, Freiburg
Valentine RC, Green NM (1967) Electron microscopy of an antibody-hapten complex. J Mol Biol 27:615–619
Krauledat PB, Krapf FE, Manger B, Kalden JR (1985) Evaluation of plasma C3d and immune complex determinations in the assessment of disease activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and spondylitis ancylopoetica. Rheumatol Int 5:(in press)
Haakenstad AO, Mannik M (1974) Saturation of the reticuloendothelial system with soluble immune complexes. J Immunol 112:1939–1949
Barcelli U, Rademacher R, Ooi YM, Oi BS (1981) Modification of glomerular immune complex deposition in mice by activation of the reticuloendothelial system. J Clin Invest 67:20–31
Hamburger MI, Lawley ThJ, Kimberly RP, Plotz PH, Frank MM (1982) A serial study of systemic reticuloendothelial system Fc-receptor functional activity in systemic lupus erythematosus. Arthritis Rheum 25:48–62
Stern P, Hagan P, Halpern S (1982) Hybridomas. In: Mitchell MS, Oettgen HF (eds) Cancer diagnosis and treatment. Raven Press, New York, pp 245–264
Finbloom DS, Abeles D, Rifai A, Plotz PH (1980) The specifity of uptake of model immune complexes and other protein aggregates by the murine reticuloendothelial system. J Immunol 125:1060–1065
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Löw, A., Hotze, A., Krapf, F. et al. The nonspecific clearance function of the reticuloendothelial system in patients with immune complex mediated diseases before and after therapeutic plasmapheresis. Rheumatol Int 5, 69–72 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00270299
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00270299