A survey of therapeutic hemapheresis in Norway year 2000.

In a survey of therapeutic hemapheresis in Norway, we sent a questionnaire to all regional and central hospitals, asking about hemapheresis activities, patients, indications, and adverse events. All units responded to the questionnaire: 17 dialysis units, 7 blood units, and 2 specialized units for stem cell apheresis. In total, they performed 2141 procedures that is 5.0 stem cell collections and 42.5 therapeutic apheresis procedures per 100,000 inhabitants. The most frequent indications were Guillain-Barré syndrome, hypercholesterolemia, and myasthenia gravis. Adverse effects were frequent, but mild. Dialysis units performed a majority of the procedures, leading to an extensive use of filtration techniques.