[Is apheresis still a useful tool in the treatment of nephrological diseases?]

Therapeutic apheresis is by now a century-old extracorporeal procedure, but it is still very much relevant thanks to advances in medical device technology. In addition to the classic plasma exchange, we now have double filtration techniques, plasma absorption, immunoadsorption, leuko and cyto-apheresis, LDL apheresis. The application of these highly selective techniques has opened up new perspectives in the treatment of various nephrological diseases. Unfortunately, renal diseases that can be treated with apheretic techniques are often relatively rare and this prevents us from carrying out extensive studies aimed at demonstrating the real benefits of these methods. Every three years, the American Society of Apheresis provides solid recommendations regarding the diseases that can be treated with apheresis. New immunosuppressants, immuno-modulating substances and monoclonal antibodies are becoming extremely selective and sophisticated weapons against diseases with a clearly identified causal agent. This does not exclude the fact that, due to economic reasons or even to minimize the side effects of these new drugs, apheretic techniques could still retain an important, if ancillary, role.