Immunologic dynamics in cryapheresis for rheumatoid arthritis.

Five patients with erosive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who had previously experienced a favorable response to lymphoplasmapheresis were treated with cryapheresis. Cryapheresis was performed 9 times in 3 weeks using a membrane filtration device that selectively removes plasma proteins with molecular weights greater than 100,000 daltons. Four of the 5 patients so treated improved clinically. The membranes selectively removed more immunoglobulins and complement components that were part of circulating immune complexes than those that were not. Plasma or albumin replacement was not necessary in these patients. Cryapheresis might be a safe and effective technology in treating patients with refractory RA.