Treatment by Plasma Exchange of a Patient with Hyperlipidemia and Diabetic Ketoacidosis with Lesional Pulmonary Edema and Acute Pancreatitis

The authors report a case of severe hypertriglyceridemia (148.5 mmol/l) in a 27-year-old woman admitted for coma of unknown origin. Initial investigations revealed ketoacidosis, pancreatitis and noncardiogenic pulmonary edema. The diabetes was unknown. Ketoacidosis was rapidly controlled. The hypertriglyceridemia was corrected by one course of plasma exchange (4,400 ml) during which the patient returned to consciousness. The patient recovered without any sequelae. Only 2 similar cases, treated by plasma exchange, have been reported in the literature until now.