Abstract
A 40-year-old female was diagnosed as having systemic lupus erythematosus in 1965, and treated with steroid therapy till 1975. She was admitted to our hospital for renal dysfunction and anasarca in Nov. 1987. Laboratory examinations revealed pancytopenia and a high anti nucleic factor (ANF) titer. Renal failure and cardiac tamponade were recognized on physical examination. The patient was treated by hemodialysis immediately after admission for renal failure.
Her general condition was too critical to start steroid therapy, so we initiated plasmapheresis on the 7th day of hospitalization. After one immuno plasmaperfusion and two courses of double filtration plasmapheresis had been done, her general condition was slightly improved, and we were able to start steroid therapy.
We continued hemodialysis and plasmapheresis, and she was ultimatoly to discontinue regular dialytic therapy.
