Plasma-Exchange Therapy of Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia

FAMILIAL hypercholesterolemia is a common, dominantly inherited disease characterized by increases in plasma cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins (LDL), xanthomas, and premature atherosclerosis. Patients with the homozygous form may have plasma LDL concentrations five times normal and atherosclerotic disease in the first two decades of life.1 Treatment with diet, medication, or operation has met with discouraging results.2 3 4 5 6 Previous reports suggested that plasma exchange7 or plasmapheresis8 could successfully treat severe hypercholesterolemia. We have treated two children with homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia with plasma-exchange therapy for over two years.Patient DataPatient 1 had xanthomas at three years of age. Both parents and one . . .