A review of randomized controlled trials using therapeutic apheresis

Apheresis has developed into a common therapeutic modality. The evidence for the clinical benefit of apheresis, however, is generally from uncontrolled and nonrandomized trials. Although the effectiveness of therapeutic apheresis may be established from uncontrolled trials, well-designed, randomized controlled trials provide the best evidence for a clinical benefit because this type of trial design minimizes bias. We assess the evidence for the …