Therapeutic apheresis for the renal complications of multiple myeloma and the dysglobulinemias

Disordered immunoglobulin synthesis can result in a variety of different types of renal pathology. Multiple myeloma is often associated with the overproduction of light chains which may result in toxicity to the renal tubules and acute renal failure. Patients with mixed cryoglobulinemia will have renal involvement which is most often in the form of a membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis. Renal involvement in macroglobulinemia is relatively uncommon, but IgM thrombi can be so voluminous as to occlude the glomerular capillary lumen. In each of these examples, therapeutic plasma exchange has been found to be a useful adjunct to the eventual chemotherapy required for the definitive treatment of these disorders.