Abstract
The present study was performed to 23 patients with lupus nephritis (LN), who were able to be followed up about clinical manifestation and laboratory examination for more than 1 month before PEx and 1.5 years after PEx. They were investigated about effect of PEx on lymphocytes subsets, circulating immune complex (IC), IgG, CH50 anti-dsDNA, ANA and renal histology. After PEx undergone, Leu4, Leu2a significantly increased, IC, IgG, anti-dsDNA and ANA significantly decreased, and CH50 recovered into normal range. Light microscopy showed improvement of renal pathological findings, although electron microscopy did not reveal significant reduction of immunedeposits in lupus lesions. We conclude that PEx is beneficial maneuver against immunological abnormality in patients with severe LN.
