Therapeutic Plasma Exchange as Management of Complicated Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Other Autoimmune Diseases

Table 3

Complications of therapeutic plasma exchange.

TPE complications/TPE replacement solutions	Albumin 5%, n=39	Albumin 5% plus Fresh frozen plasma, n=8	4% succinylated gelatin, n=10	Fresh frozen plasma, n=9	Total, n=66	p value
Bleeding	11 (28.2)	4 (50)	0 (0)	2 (22.2)	17 (25.8)	0.087
Thrombosis	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0
Hydroelectrolytic disorders	1 (2.6)	2 (25)	1 (10)	0 (0)	4 (6.1)	0.067
Hypotension	1 (2.6)	1 (12.5)	2 (20)	2 (22.2)	6 (9.1)	0.055
Allergies	0 (0)	1 (12.5)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (1.5)	0.121
Arrhythmias	1 (2.6)	0 (0)	1 (10)	0 (0)	2 (3)	0.655
Infections 14 days posterior to TPE	5 (12.8)	6 (75)	3 (30)	4 (44.4)	18 (27.3)	0.002
Catheter-Related Infections	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (10)	1 (11)	2 (3)
Type of infection
Bacterial infection	4 (80)	5 (83.3)	3 (100)	4 (100)	16 (88.9)
Bacterial and Mycobacterial	0 (0)	1 (16.7)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (5.6)
infection
Viral infection	1 (20)	0 (0)	0 (0)	0 (0)	1 (5.6)

TPE: therapeutic plasma exchange.