[Plasma exchange in rheumatology. Technical problems, tolerance, indications].

Plasma exchange, used since 1979 in the treatment of severe rheumatoid arthritis, has been the subject of numerous publications in the recent years. According to data from a review of the literature and from our personal experience, this therapy cannot be advocated in the usual forms of rheumatoid arthritis. Because of the side-effects, the complicated technical equipment required and the short duration of therapeutic results, plasma exchange should, for the time being, be restricted to malignant forms of rheumatoid arthritis, polyvisceral exacerbations in lupus and scleroderma, and hyperviscosity syndromes in globulinopathies.