In 1978, Brettle3) have been credited with the first report of an apparently beneficial effect of plasma exchange in acute Guillain-Barre syndrome. Followed reports5, 14, 24, 27) have demonstrated a shortened length of illness, decreased death
rate
and
serious complications, improved muscular weakness. So this study is purposed to evaluate the effectiveness of plasma exchanage in Guillain-Barre syndrome and to compare with other conservative treatment.
To study of the effect of plasma exchange in Guillain-Barre syndrome, 10 subjects with plasmapheresis and 19 patients with conservative and corticosteriod therapy were included. Plasmapheresis was done one to four time for each patient as
possible.
Plasma exchange volumes are 4-~50ml/kg of body weight at each trial and not to exceed over 200ml/kg in total exchange volume.
There were significantly improved grade in the plasmapheresis group comparing with control group after 4 weeks' of treatment.
And the median time to improve one grade and to reach grade 2(the point at which patients were able to walk unassisted) was reduced significantly by treatment to plasmapheresis. And there were no significant adverse side effects or complications
in
plasmapheresis procedures.
There results suggest that plasmapheresis may be the one of the first choice in treatment of acute stage of Guillain-Barre syndrome.
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