Application of Plasma Exchange in Steroid-Responsive Encephalopathy

• Main Authors: Yuting Jiang, Xin Tian, Yixue Gu, Feng Li, Xuefeng Wang
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2019-02-01
• Series: Frontiers in Immunology
• Subjects: plasma exchange; steroid; clinical practice; course; onset time; side effects
• Online Access: https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fimmu.2019.00324/full

Plasma exchange has been widely used in autoimmune neurological diseases and is the standard treatment for myasthenia gravis crisis and Guillain-Barre syndrome. A growing body of research suggests that, in the clinical application of steroid-responsive encephalopathy, such as for Hashimoto's encephalopathy, limbic encephalitis, systemic lupus erythematosus encephalopathy, ANCA-associated vasculitis encephalopathy, and acute disseminated encephalomyelitis, plasma exchange is a safe, and effective option when steroids or other immunosuppressive therapies are ineffective in the short term or when contraindications are present. Additionally, plasma exchange can also be used alone or in combination with steroids, immunoglobulins, or other immunosuppressive agents to treat steroid-responsive encephalopathy. This paper reviews the clinical application of plasma exchange in steroid-responsive encephalopathy, including its indications, onset time, course, curative effects, and side effects.