Treatment of Goodpasture syndrome with cyclophosphamide, prednisone and plasma exchange transfusions

Abstract

Repeated plasm exchanges were performed in a 44-year-old man with Goodpasture syndrome, also treated with cyclophosphamide and prednisone. Improvement was observed within 3 weeks of starting the protocol, and by the 76th week, endogenous creatinine clearance had increased from 30 to 56 ml/min/1.73 M2 and serum albumin from 2.7 to 3.7 g/dl. Prior treatment with immunosuppressive drugs had not significantly influenced circulating antibody levels. But sustained suppression of antibody was achieved after the plasma exchanges were begun, suggesting that physical removal of circulating antibody combined with antiproliferative drug treatment may be a useful way to control undesirable humoral immune responses.