Research from the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Montenegro and the Clinical Center of Montenegro has revealed that plasmapheresis (PF) is a commonly utilized and safe treatment for various autoimmune neurological disorders, as reported by UCG.

“This therapeutic approach aims to eliminate harmful immune factors from the blood, demonstrating considerable clinical improvements in patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, Guillain-Barré syndrome, and myasthenia gravis. The study, which took place from January 2020 to April 2022, evaluated 246 plasmapheresis sessions across 43 patients, with findings showing enhanced clinical outcomes for most patients,” they noted.

Plasmapheresis is defined as a medical procedure that separates plasma from the blood—which may harbor pathogenic immune components—after which the blood is reintroduced to the patient supplemented with a replacement fluid.

“In this investigation, patients were categorized into four groups based on their indications. Nine patients suffering from multiple sclerosis (MS) underwent plasmapheresis during acute disease exacerbations, with eight of them registering an improvement of at least 0.5 points on the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS). For the 20 patients diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS), characterized by rapid muscle weakness, plasmapheresis led to significant functional improvements in 14 patients according to the Hughes scale. Additionally, four patients with myasthenia gravis (MG) exhibited better muscle strength following treatment. The most varied group consisted of patients whose disease mechanisms are believed to involve immune system dysfunction,” the UCG stated.

They further emphasized that, while plasmapheresis is largely a safe procedure, some adverse effects were observed in 14 patients; however, these were mostly minor and transient.

“The procedure utilizes specialized medical equipment to filter blood, removing unwanted elements and returning the purified blood to the patient. Each session lasts between one and three hours and is typically repeated several times depending on the disease severity and response to treatment.”

As highlighted, the study’s conclusions underscore the considerable efficacy and safety of plasmapheresis in treating immune-mediated neurological disorders. “These findings further validate plasmapheresis as a critical therapeutic option for patients with severe neurological issues, especially when standard treatments fail to yield satisfactory outcomes.”

The study was authored by: Milovan Roganović, Jevto Eraković, Ljiljana Radulović, Slaviša Peruničić, Dragica Milikić, Balša Vujović, Zilha Idrizović, Sandra Vujović, Mladen Debeljević, and Sanja Gluščević.

This research has been published in the journal Therapeutic Apheresis and Dialysis and is accessible in the PubMed database operated by the National Library of Medicine within the National Institutes of Health of the United States.

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