Apheresis: the Italian experience

Abstract

The Italian experience is a long one, beginning with granulocyte collection in the late Bruni R. months of 1972 and progressively expanding to new application and new techniques, many of which Italian in origin and diffusion. This is true for sequestration, multiple Carlier P. component collection, ascitapheresis, dy-platelet collection, but is also true for the new application of known techniques such as cascade, filtration for disorders such as acute Guillain Barr Syndrome, KT, Cyclosporin induced or secondary hypertriglericeridemia, lepromotous vasculitis leptospirosis, hyperacute kidney rejection, autoimmune pure redcell aplasia and many other disorders treated by plasma exchange for the first time in Italy and in general terms in Italy this intermediate level of complexity techniques have found a wide if not enthusiastic acceptance. Twenty-four years later the general appreciation and interest have not modified their impact onto transfusion medicine and Italy continues to be among the leaders also because of the presence in the country of a couple of industries of international excellence involved in apheresis and/or related fields. The presence of Italy in apheresis was marked by the first international Society (ESFH, European Society for Hemapheresis) set up in 1982, with its first meeting organized in Florence the following year and the one of 2001 that will be held in Italy. The Italian presence in apheresis is also marked by the large Italian participation in the international meetings, frequently as invited speakers and chairmen. Furthermore, many well recognized investigators got their training in Italy and Italy is proud of their achievements. A experiência italiana em aféreses é antiga e teve início nos últimos meses de 1972 e progressivamente se expandiu com novas aplicações e novas técnicas, muitas delas de origem italiana. Isto é real para sequestração, coleção multipla de componentes, citaféreses e coleção de plaquetas, mas também é verdade que novas aplicações como na sindrome de Guillain-Barré, PTT, hipertrigliceridemia secundária a ciclosporina, vasculite lepromatosa, leptospirose, rejeição renal aguda.