Clinical Outcome of Patients with Wegener’s Granulomatosis Treated with Plasma Exchange

Abstract

We report the clinical course of 29 patients with Wegener’s granulomatosis (WG) treated with plasma exchange (PE) in Norway in the period from 1988 to 1999. Median follow-up was 41.5 months. The mean number of exchanges was 8.5 ± 5.8 (range 2–32). Median serum creatinine concentration was 400 µmol/l (range 90–1,356) and 17 patients were dialysis dependent at presentation. Two- and five-year patient survival was 75 and 71%, respectively, and renal (ESRD-free) survival was 74 and 54%, respectively. Seven (50%) of the 14 patients alive in the dialysis group had discontinued dialysis within the first month, and 6 (50%) of 12 patients alive at follow-up had independent renal function. No patients, however, had normal serum creatinine concentration. Median time until development of ESRD for patients presenting with a need for dialysis was ∼32 months. The development of ESRD in 79 patients treated with immunosuppression alone was significantly lower, but when adjusted for serum creatinine there was no difference between patients treated with or without PE. Although a considerable fraction of patients with WG and severe renal involvement regain independent renal function, few will have normal serum creatinine concentration at follow-up, despite the addition of PE as adjunctive therapy.

Journal

Journal ID (publisher-id): BPU

Journal ID (nlm-ta): Blood Purif

Journal ID (doi): 10.1159/issn.0253-5068

Title: Blood Purification

Publisher: S. Karger AG

ISSN (Print): 0253-5068

ISSN (Electronic): 1421-9735

Publication date Subscription-year: 2002

Publication date (Print): 2002

Publication date (Electronic): 30 January 2002

Volume: 20

Issue: 2

Pages: 167-173

Affiliations

^aDepartment of Medicine, University Hospital of Trondheim; The Norwegian Kidney Register, ^bInstitute of Medicine, ^cDepartment of Pathology, Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway

Article

Publisher ID: 47004 Other ID: Blood Purif 2002;20:167–173

DOI: 10.1159/000047004

PubMed ID: 11818680

Copyright statement: © 2002 S. Karger AG, Basel

License:

Copyright: All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be translated into other languages, reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, microcopying, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. Drug Dosage: The authors and the publisher have exerted every effort to ensure that drug selection and dosage set forth in this text are in accord with current recommendations and practice at the time of publication. However, in view of ongoing research, changes in government regulations, and the constant flow of information relating to drug therapy and drug reactions, the reader is urged to check the package insert for each drug for any changes in indications and dosage and for added warnings and precautions. This is particularly important when the recommended agent is a new and/or infrequently employed drug. Disclaimer: The statements, opinions and data contained in this publication are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publishers and the editor(s). The appearance of advertisements or/and product references in the publication is not a warranty, endorsement, or approval of the products or services advertised or of their effectiveness, quality or safety. The publisher and the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to persons or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content or advertisements.

Page count

Figures: 3, Tables: 2, References: 32, Pages: 7

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Categories

Subject: Original Paper