Comparative assessment of various programs of plasmapheresis in the combined treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

: Therapeutic efficacy of various plasmapheresis (PA) programmes was comparatively studied in 92 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. PA performed as a placebo (the control group) confirmed the efficacy of PA in the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The choice of a particular regimen of the procedure depended on the health status of the patient. The programme of PA with the elimination of one volume of the circulating plasma (VCP) turned to be the most effective in the patients with highly active course of the disease while the procedures with the elimination of 1/2 and 1/4 VCP should be used in those with moderate or minimal activity of the disease. The assessment of the therapeutic response should be based on the clinical data, ESR and the contents of circulating immune complexes--the most dynamic laboratory tests.