We have performed 24 cascade filtration treatments in 8 patients with hyperviscosity syndrome (2 cases), essential mixed cryoglobulinemia, post-hepatitic cryoglobulinemia, Sjogrens disease, rheumatoid vasculitis, Miller-Fisher syndrome and chronic dysimmune polyneuropathy. New cellulose diacetate filters were employed, giving a satisfactory performance. At 1.5 L plasma treatment, the rejection rate for macromolecular plasma components was close to 90%, whereas albumin recovery was close to 70%. Treatments were clinically effective, confirming that cascade filtration is an alternative to conventional plasma exchange in patients with IgM or immune complex mediated diseases.
NakamuraM., OchiaiH., ImamiyaT., IdeK., SakaiS., MiyaharaT.: The application of double-filtration plasmapheresis using an automatic control system. In: Therapeutic Plasmapheresis (II), OdaT. Ed.: p. 119. Shattauer, Stuttgart-New York, 1982.
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HenneW., PelgerM., GerlachK., TretzelJ.: Membrane technology for plasmapheresis.In: Plasma Separation and Plasma Fractionation, LysaghtM.J., and GurlandH.J. Eds.: p. 164. Karger, Basel, 1983.
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ValbonesiM., MosconiL., MontaniF., FlorioG., RossiU.: Cascade filtration: clinical application in 26 patients with immune complex and IgM mediated diseases.Int. J. artif. Organs6: 303, 1983.
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ValbonesiM., GarelliS., MontaniF., CefisM., RossiU.: Management of immune-mediated and paraproteinemic diseases by membrane plasma separation and cascade filtration.Vox Sang.43: 91, 1982.
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MancaF., MiglioriniP., BombardieriS., CeladaF.: An enzymatically active antigen-antibody probe to measure circulating immune complexes by competition.Use of the E. Coli beta-galactosidase in the probe and of bovine conglutinin as the complement-binding reagent. Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.16: 131, 1980.
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AgishiT., KanekoI., HasuoY., HayasakaY., SanakaT., OtaK., AmemyiaH., SuginoN.: Oouble filtration with no or minimal amount of blood derivative for substitution. In: SieberthH.G. Ed.: p. 53. Shattauer, Stuttgart, 1980.
7.
TretzelJ., SeuffertL.: Computer simulation of cascade filtratin procedures. In: Plasma Separation and Plasma fgractionation, LysaghtM.J., and GurlandH.J. Eds.: p. 235, Karger, Basel, 1983.
