[Cascade use of plasmapheresis and plasma filtration in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis]. / Kaskadnoe primenenie plazmafereza i plazmofil'tratsii v lechenii revmatoidnogo artrita.

The effect of incorporation of cascade plasmapheresis and plasma filtration in multimodality therapy was studied in 4 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The result was estimated as "excellent" (complete disappearance of clinical symptoms of the articular syndrome and normalization of the activity laboratory indices) in one patient; "good" (the reduction of clinicolaboratory activity) in 2 patients and "satisfactory" (the reduction of symptoms of the articular syndrome without changes of a degree of general activity of disease) in one patient. Cascade plasmapheresis and plasma filtration significantly improved clinical and many laboratory indices of RA activity and humoral immunity indices during treatment. A long period of observation is required to assess long-term results of the effect of this method. A great advantage of the method is a possibility of decreasing substitution protein solutions without negative effects with relation to the blood total protein level. The absence of a necessity of catheterization of central vessels, more complete blood separation into plasma and erythrocytes make cascade plasmapheresis and plasma filtration more preferable. Good tolerance of the procedure, fast improvement, a chance to avoid side-effects of drug therapy, a lower risk of allergic reactions to plasma substitutes as compared to those in plasmapheresis and lymphocytoplasmapheresis make the method promising for RA treatment.

[Comparative evaluation of the effectiveness of plasmapheresis and lymphocytoplasmapheresis in the combined treatment of rheumatoid arthritis]. / Sravnitel'naia otsenka éffektivnosti plazmafereza i limfotsitoplazmafereza v kompleksnom lechenii revmatoidnogo artrita.

The authors compared 2 methods of apheresis: plasmapheresis (PA) and lymphocytoplasmapheresis (LPA) in 24 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Both methods were shown to produce a positive effect on a course of rheumatoid process decreasing clinical and laboratory parameters of its activity, improving articular function. Under LPA influence the production of autoantibodies by B-lymphocytes was significantly lowered. PA and LPA were characterized by a more rapid development of the regression of RA symptoms as compared to drug therapy and by a good tolerance of the procedures. On the basis of the results obtained a preliminary conclusion has been made of the greater efficacy of LPA as compared to that of PA. However, the assessment of long-term therapeutic results is required to consider the probable LPA influence on cellular immunity.

[Activity of short-lived suppressor lymphocytes in rheumatoid arthritis]. / Aktivnost' korotkozhivushchikh supressornykh limfotsitov pri revmatoidnom artrite.

Activity of short-lived suppressor lymphocytes was studied in 26 patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Of these, 14 patients had diverse systemic manifestations: rheumatoid nodules, polyneuropathy. Sjögren's syndrome, and Felty's syndrome. It was established that attenuation of the suppressor activity in rheumatoid arthritis is characteristic of patients with systemic manifestations, who show a high level of circulating immune complexes of rheumatoid factors. The most informative data were obtained as a result of the use of the suboptimal dose of Con A having suppressor activity.

[Experience with treating nonrheumatic myocarditis patients]. / Opyt lecheniia bol'nykh nerevmaticheskim miokarditom.

A combined treatment and long-term follow-up of 100 patients with nonrheumatic myocarditis are reported. The assessment of clinical symptoms, ECG, PCG and X-ray findings indicated a tendency to relapses of myocardial pathologic process, cardiosclerotic developments and prolonged compromise of the patient's working capacity. It is concluded that the conventional treatment for myocarditis is not adequate, and further profound research of the disease's pathogenesis is needed.